ABSTRACT
Cashew (Anacardium occidentale) is a medicinal plant native to Brazil and also yields a nutritious fruit juice. Its large pulpy pseudo-fruit, referred to as the cashew apple, contains high concentrations of vitamin C, carotenoids, phenolic compounds and minerals. Natural and processed cashew apple juice (CAJ/cajuina) are amongst the most popular juices in Brazil, especially in the north-east. Both juices have antioxidant potential and suppress mutagenicity of hydrogen peroxide. In the present study we evaluated the inhibitory effects of CAJ/cajuina on Aflatoxin B1(AFB1)-induced mutation, using the Salmonella/microsome assay with the experimental approaches of pre-, co- and post-treatments. Both CAJ/cajuina suppress AFB1-induced mutagenesis in strain TA102 when applied in co- and in post-treatment. Possible mechanisms for anti-mutagenicity in co-treatment are (a) interaction with S9 enzymes, (b) metabolization to non-mutagenic compounds of AFB1 or (c) inactivation of S9 potential. Total suppression of AFB1 mutagenicity was observed in co-treatment with both CAJ and cajuina. Post-treatment anti-mutagenicity of both juices suggests a modulation of activity of error-prone DNA repair. CAJ/cajuina may be considered promising candidates for control of genotoxicity of AFB1 and may thus be considered as health foods with anti-carcinogenic potential. This promising characteristic warrants further evaluation with in vivo studies.