title: Turmeric (Curcuma longa)-induced reduction in urinary mutagens.
abstract: Rats were fed turmeric at various levels in the diet for up to 3 months and then exposed to benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) or 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC) by ip injection. Urinary mutagens were detected using the Salmonella typhimurium assay. Turmeric fed at 0.5% and above inhibited B[a]P- and 3-MC-mediated mutagenicity. Turmeric did not adversely affect the food intake, or weight gain of the rats and no histological changes were detected. These findings are significant in view of the widespread exposure of humans to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The study has also revealed a useful in vivo model for testing the antimutagenicity.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Nutrition, Jamai-Osmania, Hyderabad, A.P., India.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Polasa
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sesikaran
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Krishna
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Krishnaswamy
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D018219:Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008748:Methylcholanthrene / Q000633:toxicity*; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D009153:Mutagens / Q000302:isolation & purification; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D009153:Mutagens; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene; D008748:Methylcholanthrene; D003474:Curcumin