title: Investigation of the mutagenic activity in Salmonella typhimurium of the furochromone khellin, proposed as a therapeutic agent for skin diseases.
abstract: The photomutagenicity of the furochromone khellin was tested in Ames Salmonella strains using 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) and 4,5', 8-trimethylpsoralen (TMP) as positive controls. When khellin was assayed with strain TA1537, mutation induction was not detectable; in the same strain, an equitoxic dose (52-56% level of survival) of TMP (used at a concentration 12-fold lower than khellin and with a UVA dose 83-fold lower than that used with khellin) yielded an increase in revertants/plate 3-fold above the spontaneous background. In strain TA102, khellin plus UVA treatment yielded a 2-fold increase in revertants/plate above the spontaneous background (79% survival). 8-MOP, however, used at a concentration 8-fold lower than khellin with a UVA dose 13-fold lower than khellin, yielded an increase in revertants/plate about 14-fold above background (66% survival) in the same strain. These data show that khellin has a weak photomutagenic potential and, along with the previously reported low photogenotoxic potential in eukaryotic cell systems, support the notion that khellin may be safer than bifunctional psoralens for clinical use.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia Molecolare, Università degli Studi, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Riccio
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Coratza
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bovalini
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martelli
mesh_terms: D007666:Khellin / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity*; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*; D010777:Photochemistry; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000187:drug effects; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D009153:Mutagens; D007666:Khellin