title: Genotoxicity testing of antiparasitic nitrofurans in the Drosophila wing somatic mutation and recombination test.
abstract: Nifurtimox and eight structurally related 5-nitrofuran compounds active against Trypanosoma cruzi were tested for genotoxicity in the wing somatic mutation and recombination test in Drosophila melanogaster. Nifurtimox, compound ada and compound 1B were clearly mutagenic and recombinogenic whereas the remaining six compounds were negative. In contrast to the situation in bacterial mutagenicity tests, nitroreductase activity is probably not decisive for the genotoxicity of these compounds in Drosophila. The three non-genotoxic nitrofurans with high antiparasitic activity are promising candidates for the replacement of nifurtimox. However, these compounds require further genotoxicity testing in eukaryotic assay systems for a final evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Toxicology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Moraga
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Graf
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000187:drug effects; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests / Q000379:methods; D009153:Mutagens; D009581:Nitrofurans / Q000633:toxicity*; D011995:Recombination, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D014921:Wings, Animal / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D009153:Mutagens; D009581:Nitrofurans; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents