protective role of folic acid on the mutagenicity induced by sodium sulfite in different tissues of male mice

The genotoxic effect of sodium sulfite [Na2SO2] one of the oldest food additives was evaluated. Sulfur dioxide [SO2] is liberated in the body after administering Na2SO3 and it is the effective chemical. The induction of chromosome aberrations and sister-chromatid exchange in bone-marrow, chromosome aberrations and sperm abnormalities in germ cells of the mouse was investigated. Oral treatment by gavage with the doses 125, 250 and 625 mg/kg b. wt. [1/20, 1/10 and 1/4 LD50] for 1, 7 and 14 days increased chromosome aberrations in somatic and germ cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The same tested doses induced a significant increase in the frequency of SCE's and sperm abnormalities by increasing the dose of treatment. In all experiments mitomycin C induced much higher effect. Administration of folicacid [FA] at a dose of 10 mg/kg b. wt. slightly minimized the genotoxic effect of SO2 in all experiments examined. The results have confirmed that the food additive sodium sulfite is a clastogenic and genotoxic agent and FA is capable of reducing this damage