Abstract: BACKGROUND AND AIM: To evaluate the genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of rare earth element praseodymium on the Vicia faba L. root-tip cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The primary roots of Vicia faba L. were cultured for 6 hours in various concentrations of PrCl3(64，32，16，8，4，2，1 μg/ml) at 25 ℃, then the roots were restored in double distilled water for 24 h.The root tips of Vicia faba L. were dissected and micronucleus test was performed, mitotic index and frequency of chromosomal aberrations were counted. RESULTS: PrCl3 could cause damage to the root-tip cells of Vicia faba L. attenuated the growth of root-tip with concentration ≥8 μg/ml. Frequency of micronucleus increased in a dose-dependent manner with concentrations of PrCl3 from 1 to 32 μg/ml (r=0.948, P<0.05).Mitosis index rose in a dose-dependent manner when the concentration of PrCl3 increased from 2 to 64 μg/ml (r=-0.789). Frequency of chromosomal aberrations also escalated in a dose-dependent manner when the concentrations of PrCl3 were between 1-8 μg/ml (r=0.992,P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The rare earth element praseodymium has certain genotoxic and cytotoxic effects on the Vicia faba L. root-tip cells.

Key words: rare-earth element, praseodymium, vicia faba L., frequency of micronucleus, frequency of chromosomal aberrations, mitotic index