The Protective Role of Folic Acid on The Mutagenicity Induced By Sodium Sulfite in Different Tissues of Male Mice

摘要

Much attention has recently been brought to the fact that many natural components of the diet are mutagenic and/or carcinogenic. Approximately 2700 distinct chemical entities, chemical mixtures, and plant extracts are allowed as direct food additives by the US F.D.A. The genotoxoc effect of sodium sulfite (Na_2 So_2) one of the oldest food additives was evaluated. Sulfer dioxide (So_2) is Liberated in the body after administering Na_2So_3 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-1b.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 folic acid (FA) at a dose of 10 mg kg-1b.wt. slightly minimized the genotoxic effect of SO_2 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.