Inhibition by chlorophyllin of forward and reverse bacterial mutagenicity of benzo[a]pyrene-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide

Abstract

Chlorophyllin (CHL), a water soluble derivative of the green pigment chlorophyll, was evaluated for its antimutagenic activity towards benzo[a]pyrene-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide (BPDE). CHL suppressed dose-dependently the formation of 8-azaguanine-resistant mutant colonies in Salmonella typhimarium TM677 treated with BPDE, Under the same experimental conditions, the cytotoxicity of this direct-acting mutagen was concomitantly blunted by CHL. The protective effect of CHL against BPDE mutagenicity was confirmed in the Salmonella histidine(+) reversion assay CHL also reduced the in vitro covalent binding of BPDE to DNA. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.