Inhibitory effect of chlorophyllin on the frequency of micronuclei induced by sodium nitrite in mice.

In this report the potency of chlorophyllin (CHL) was evaluated to prevent two types of damage produced by nitrite in mice: the increase of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MNPE) and the bone marrow toxicity, measured as the index of polychromatic erythrocytes/normochromatic erythrocytes (PE/NE). The study was done in eight groups of male mice. The first three groups were administered orally for 4 days with sodium nitrite (10, 15 and 20 mg/kg), the daily administration with nitrite was followed by an intraperitoneal administration of CHL (4 mg/kg), three more groups were administered with the same amounts of nitrite, a seventh group of mice was treated with distilled water while another was treated with CHL (4 mg/kg). Our study produced two main results: (a) no bone marrow injury was induced by any of the tested chemicals, as indicated with the PE/NE index, and (b) CHL protected (as high as 44%) the MNPE produced in nitrite treated mice.

Genotoxic effects produced by capsaicin in mouse during subchronic treatment.

Capsaicin is the chemical responsible for the pungent, hot properties of Capsicum, a vegetable widely consumed in the diet of many countries in the world. In this work, the genotoxic capacity of capsaicin was studied in mouse during a 32-day treatment. We used the dosages of 1.46 and 1.94 mg/kg given by the i.p. route. Each week, the frequency of micronucleated normochromatic erythrocytes (MN-NE) and the ratio polychromatic/normochromatic erythrocytes (PE/NE) were scored. At the end of the experiment we also scored the frequency of sister chromatid exchanges (SCE). The results in the MN-NE analysis showed a genotoxic response with 1.94 mg/kg starting from day 16, while the 1.46 mg/kg dose produced a significant increase of MN-NE only at the 32nd day. The ratio PE/NE was only affected at the 32nd day with the high dose. Concerning the SCE frequency, the genotoxic effect was only observed with the highest dose. These results indicated that capsaicin is a genotoxicant, and due to the probable relation between an excessive consumption of Capsacum and an increase in gastric cancer, it is suggested that its consumption could be moderated until a definitive risk for humans is established.

Genotoxic evaluation of letimide with the mouse bone marrow micronucleus test.

Letimide, 3[2-(diethylamino)ethyl]-2H-1,3-benzoxazine-2,4(3H)-dione, a new analgesic, is a cyclic derivative of a salicylamide with a higher pharmacological potency than acetylsalicylic acid. In this study we evaluated its clastogenic activity using the micronucleus test in vivo. Our results did not show any clastogenic effect produced by letimide as compared with control mice and animals treated with cyclophosphamide.

Cytogenetic and teratogenic evaluation of letimide.

Letimide is a new efficient analgesic salicylate derivative. In this study we evaluated its cytogenetic and teratogenic potential. For chromosomal aberrations and sister chromatid exchange analysis we tested 250, 375, 500 and 625 micrograms/ml of letimide in human lymphocyte cultures in vitro, and for the in vivo cytogenetic study analysing the same parameters we studied the effects of 30, 50 and 100 mg/kg in mouse bone marrow cells. The teratogenic study was performed at dosages of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg/d of letimide in mice. The results agree with the systems studied previously, showing no significant effect in the rate of aberrations, sister chromatid exchanges or congenital malformations induced by this new analgesic.

Sister chromatid exchange frequencies induced in vivo and in vitro by the residues of brandy.

We obtained 6.93 g/l of residues of brandy after distillation and lyophilization of the beverage, and studied the genotoxic potential of this substance by scoring sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) and evaluating cellular proliferation kinetics. For the in vitro study we tested 5, 10, 15, and 21 mg/ml of the residue in human lymphocyte cultures, and found a genotoxic response with the highest two doses as well as a delay of the cell cycle duration. For the in vivo study we used the mouse bone marrow system and tested 50, 200, 400, 800, and 1600 mg/kg. The results showed a significant increase of the SCE with the highest three doses without any modification of the cell cycle. The residues of brandy seem to be moderate inducers of SCE, as a doubling of the effect above the base line was not observed.

Mouse bone marrow cytogenetic damage produced by residues of tequila.

Five concentrations (50-860 mg/kg) of residues obtained after distillation and lyophilization of commercial tequila were injected into mice for evaluation of chromosome aberrations, sister-chromatid exchanges, and proliferation kinetics in mouse bone marrow cells. Appropriate positive and negative controls were included. Our results showed significant dose-related increases of chromosomal aberrations starting at 50 mg/kg and for sister-chromatid exchanges at 430 mg/kg. Cellular proliferation kinetics showed no alterations. With these data we demonstrated that the residues of tequila are genotoxic in vivo.