Anogeissus leiocarpus (Guill and Perr) is a plant widely spread throughout the tropical and subtropical areas. This study was designed to evaluate the potential effects of roots of Anogeissus leiocarpus on mice bone marrow cells in vivo. Three different concentrations (250, 500, 1000 mg.kg^-1) of total hydro alcoholic extract of roots of A. leiocarpus were evaluated for genotoxic, antigenotoxic and cytotoxic activities by a micronucleus test. The genotoxicity was induced by the administration of cyclophosphamide.

At the end of the treatment, no significant difference (p>0.05) was found between the body weight gain of the treated groups compared to the negative controls. Evaluation of the ratio of polychromatic erythrocytes to total erythrocytes (PCEs %) in the bone marrow had shown no significant difference between the groups treated with the extract and the untreated group. In the groups pre-treated with the total extract of A. leiocarpus at the doses of 250, 500 and 1000 mg.kg^-1, there was a significant decrease (p<0.0001) in MnEPCs compared to the positive controls; in a dose-dependent manner.

It appears from these results that the extract of A. leiocarpus was not genotoxic but rather possessed a protective effect against the genotoxicity and cytotoxicity induced by cyclophosphamide.