ABSTRACT
A number of commonly consumed foods and food components in south India were screened for their genotoxic effects on Swiss mice. Salted, sundried and oil fried vegetables and fishes induced chromosomal aberrations, sperm head abnormalities and micronuclei production, which were comparable to the effect of the positive control viz., 20-methylcholanthrene. Spices like Cissus quadrangularis (an indigenous herb used in certain south Indian dishes) and pyrolysed cumin and aniseeds showed moderate effects. Calamus oil, widely used in pharmaceuticals was highly effective. All the three parameters of genotoxicity gave similar results.
Subject(s)
Animals , Chromosome Aberrations , Food Analysis , Male , Mice , Micronucleus Tests , Mutagens/analysis , Sperm Head/pathologyABSTRACT
Dietary components and food dishes commonly consumed in South India were screened for their mutagenic activity. Kesari powder, calamus oil, palm drink, toddy and Kewra essence were found to be strongly mutagenic; garlic, palm oil, arrack, onion and pyrolysed portions of bread toast, chicory powder were weakly mutagenic, while tamarind and turmeric were not. Certain salted, sundried and oil fried food items were also mutagenic. Cissus quadrangularis was mutagenic, while 'decoctions' of cumin seeds, aniseeds and ginger were not. Several perfumes, essential oils and colouring agents, which are commonly used were also screened and many of them exhibited their mutagenic potential by inducing the 'reverse mutation' in Salmonella typhimurium tester strains.
Subject(s)
Food/toxicity , India , Mutagenicity Tests , Mutagens/toxicity , Perfume/toxicity , Salmonella typhimuriumABSTRACT
Several food items, commonly consumed in South India, after nitrite treatment under simulated gastric conditions were found to be mutagenic in Salmonella typhimurium tester strain TA 100. Dichloromethane extracts containing the volatile nitroso compounds and ethyl-acetate extracts with the non-volatile nitroso compounds of some of the food items exhibited mutagenicity.
Subject(s)
Animals , Condiments , Desiccation , Fishes , Food Handling , Food Preservatives/pharmacology , Gastrointestinal Neoplasms/epidemiology , Hot Temperature , Humans , India/epidemiology , Mutagenicity Tests , Nitrites/pharmacology , Salmonella typhimurium/drug effects , VegetablesABSTRACT
South Indian food dishes, comprising several deep fried items have been proved to be mutagenic. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) such as, benzo(a)pyrene, chrysene and dibenzanthracene, which are potent and proven carcinogens have been identified and quantified in several of the commonly consumed South Indian food dishes and food components. Most of the pyrolysed items contained PAHs in appreciable quantities. PAHs were detected in significant levels in salted, sundried and oil fried vegetables and fishes. Some of the raw and uncooked food components also revealed the presence of PAHs.
Subject(s)
Animals , Benzo(a)pyrene/analysis , Carcinogens/analysis , Chrysenes/analysis , Environmental Pollution , Fishes , Food Analysis , Food Contamination , Food Handling , Gastrointestinal Neoplasms/epidemiology , Hot Temperature , India/epidemiology , Mutagens/analysis , Polycyclic Compounds/analysis , VegetablesABSTRACT
Out of various spices and leafy vegetables screened for their influence on the carcinogen-detoxifying enzyme, glutathione-S-transferase (GST) in Swiss mice, cumin seeds, poppy seeds, asafoetida, turmeric, kandathipili, neem flowers, manathakkali leaves, drumstick leaves, basil leaves and ponnakanni leaves increased GST activity by more than 78% in the stomach, liver and oesophagus, - high enough to be considered as protective agents against carcinogenesis. Glutathione levels were also significantly elevated in the three tissues by these plant products. All of them except neem flowers, significantly suppressed (in vivo) the chromosome aberrations (CA) caused by benzo(a)pyrene in mouse bone marrow cells. Multiple CA and exchanges reflecting the severity of damage within a cell were significantly suppressed by these nine plant products. The results suggest that these nine plant products are likely to suppress carcinogenesis and can act as protective agents against cancer.
Subject(s)
Animals , Benzo(a)pyrene/antagonists & inhibitors , Chromosome Aberrations , Condiments , Glutathione Transferase/biosynthesis , Male , Inactivation, Metabolic , Mice , Neoplasms, Experimental/prevention & control , Plants , VegetablesABSTRACT
Green chillies (Capsicum annum L.) and tamarind (Tamarindus indica) contain appreciable amount of L-asparaginase. The enzyme was purified 400-fold from green chillies, by successive precipitations with ammonium sulphate and sodium sulphate, Sephadex-gel filtration and affinity chromatography and the purified enzyme was homogenous on gel electrophoresis. The enzyme exists in two forms, only one having antitumour activity. The purified enzyme has a molecular weight of 120,000 ±500. The N-terminal and the Cterminal amino acids are alanine and phenylalanine, respectively. The enzyme has a sharp optimum pH of 8.5 and a temperature optimum of 37°C. It is stable upto 40°C. The energy of activation is 3 kilo calories. The Km value for the enzyme is 3.3. mM. The enzyme has little action on D-asparagine, which is a strong inhibitor. The enzyme has inseparable glutaminase ctivity and is thus an asparaginase—glutaminase. In addition, it possesses urease activity.