Adriamycin Induced Genetic Toxicity as Demonstrated by the Allium Test

Abstract

Adriamycin is one of the best antibiotics of the anthracycline class very recently introduced in cancer chemotherapy. Even though its pharmacological and biochemical aspects are known at present, the details of the cytological damages which this drug causes have not been sufficiently investigated. Some adverse side effects which the drug causes in the recipients, pose serious health problems (See Carter 1975). Hence a detailed investigation on the cytological effects of the drug was undertaken using the ‘Allium test’ of Levan (1949). The treatments were so timed that data on the chronobiological effects of the drug can be used by physicians in the administration of the drug more efficiently. © 1980, Japan Mendel Society, International Society of Cytology. All rights reserved.