Antimutagenic effect of ellagic acid and its effect on the immune response in mice

Abstract

Using the Ames bacterial mutagenicity test and an in vivo micronucleus test, the authors investigated the antigenotoxic effect of ellagic acid on the genotoxicity of three mutagens: amino-methylimidazo-quinoline (IQ), aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), and N-nitroso-N-methylurea (MNU). Ellagic acid is a naturally occurring phenolic compd. which is found in a variety of soft fruits and vegetables. The effect of this compd. on the immunosuppressive activity of mutagens was followed in vivo by the chemiluminescence test. In the Ames assay, ellagic acid at concns. of 300 and 30 micro g/plate demonstrably inhibits the mutagenic activity of two indirect mutagens: IQ and AFB1. The concn. of 300 micro g/plate had the strongest effect on mutagenicity of all concns. of IQ in strain TA98 of Salmonella typhimurium, whereas in strain TA100 concn. of 30 micro g per dish of ellagic acid was more effective than 300 micro g per plate. Also in combination with different concns. of AFB1, ellagic acid proved to be a strong antimutagen. In this case the lower of the two effective concns. - 30 micro g/plate - had a much greater antimutagenic effect on both strains tested than 300 micro g/plate. In combination with the direct mutagen MNU, ellagic acid did not show any marked antimutagenic effect at most of the concns. tested in strain TA100. Only the highest concns. of ellagic acid reduced the mutagenic effect of MNU weakly and only in combination with two lower concns. of MNU. In the micronucleus test, three-day oral application of ellagic acid prior to the application of AFB1, IQ, or MNU, resp., markedly reduced the nos. of micronuclei induced by these three mutagens in polychromatophilic erythrocytes of mice. Chemiluminescence test with mouse granulocytes proved that ellagic acid not only prevents the inhibitory effects of mutagens on free oxygen radicals and hydrogen peroxide prodn., but that this prodn. is stimulated by ellagic acid in combination with mutagens even to a greater extent than by ellagic acid alone. From these results the authors deduce that ellagic acid repairs strong immunosuppressive effects of all mutagens applied. [on SciFinder (R)]