Evaluation of the mutagenicity of 'pan masala', a chewing substitute widely used in India.
Mutagenicity of polar and non-polar extracts of a popular brand of 'pan masala' was examined using the Salmonella/mammalian microsome test (Ames assay) and 2 tester strains of Salmonella typhimurium, TA98 and TA100. These extracts were also subjected to pretreatment with sodium nitrite at acidic pH, to simulate conditions for endogenous nitrosation. The aqueous, aqueous:ethanolic and chloroform extracts as well as their nitrosated mixtures were non-mutagenic in the Ames assay, in the presence and absence of metabolic activation. Only the ethanolic extract elicited a weak mutagenic response in strain TA98 without metabolic activation demonstrating the presence of direct-acting frameshift mutagens in 'pan masala'.
Genotoxicity Unit, Tata Memorial Centre, Bombay, India.
A N
AN
Bagwe
U K
UK
Ganu
S V
SV
Gokhale
R A
RA
Bhisey
D001114:Areca; D001711:Biotransformation; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007194:India; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D009154:Mutation; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000235:genetics; D012977:Sodium Nitrite / Q000494:pharmacology
D012977:Sodium Nitrite