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Effect of cannabis (hashish) on mitosis ofallium cepa L. root tips

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Biologia Plantarum

Abstract

Treatment with cannabis induces a partial inactivation of the spindle apparatus, and an unequal separation of the chromosomes. There is more or less a tendency to с-mitosis at higher concentrations and to multipolar anaphases at lower concentrations like so many other narcotic substances. The MI value decreases linearly and sharply with the increase of concentrations used,i.e. cannabis had a severe mitodepressive effect. Long treatment for 24 h caused the death of all colls examined.

Cannabis causes a complete dissolution of the matrix substance of the chromosomes and breaks down the chromatin material of the nucleus to minute granules. This phenomenon was observed in all root tips treated with the cannabis. The same picture was observed after letting the roots recover in water.

The application of cannabis may disturb the extrachromosomal mechanism. This disturbance is restricted to the abnormal diffusion of the spindle organizers in many directions instead of two poles.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Botany Department Faculty of Science, Kuwait University — State of Kuwait and Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

    A. Kabaeity, A. El-Bayoumi & A. Habib

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  1. A. Kabaeity
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  2. A. El-Bayoumi
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  3. A. Habib
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Kabaeity, A., El-Bayoumi, A. & Habib, A. Effect of cannabis (hashish) on mitosis ofallium cepa L. root tips. Biol Plant 18, 401–407 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02922475

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02922475

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