title: Antimutagenic properties of bell and black peppers.
abstract: The wing Somatic Mutation And Recombination Test (SMART) in Drosophila melanogaster was used to study the modulating action of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) and black pepper (Piper nigrum) in combination with the alkylating agent methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) and the promutagen agent ethyl carbamate (EC). Larvae trans-heterozygous for the third chromosome recessive markers multiple wing hairs (mwh) and flare-3 [flr(3)] were fed genotoxins alone or in combination with each of the two spices. Genetic changes induced in somatic cells of the wing's imaginal discs lead to the formation of mutant clones on the wing blade. Our results showed that bell pepper was effective in reducing the mutational events induced by EC and MMS and black pepper was only effective against EC. Pretreatment of 2-day-old larvae with the spices for 24 h followed by a treatment with EC and MMS was only effective in reducing mutations induced by EC. Suppression of metabolic activation or interaction with the active groups of mutagens could be mechanisms by which the spices exert their antimutagenic action.
authors.affiliation: Université Abdelmalek Essaâdi, Unité de Biologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire (BCM) BP 2121, 93002 Tétouan, Morocco.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: El Hamss
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Idaomar
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alonso-Moraga
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Muñoz Serrano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016587:Antimutagenic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002212:Capsicum; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000633:toxicity*; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D007814:Larva; D008297:Male; D008741:Methyl Methanesulfonate / Q000633:toxicity; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests / Q000379:methods; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*; D029222:Piper nigrum; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D014520:Urethane / Q000633:toxicity; D014921:Wings, Animal / Q000033:anatomy & histology
chemical_list: D016587:Antimutagenic Agents; D002273:Carcinogens; D009153:Mutagens; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014520:Urethane; D008741:Methyl Methanesulfonate