Induction of micronucleated erythrocytes in mouse peripheral blood after cutaneous application of 5-fluorouracil.
BACKGROUND
For topically applied drugs such as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), dosage is not as precise as for other drug administration pathways. Consequently, quantity of drug delivered may differ among individuals and applications. 5-FU is used in treatment of different diseases and has been reported as a clastogenic compound by micronucleus assay.


METHODS
To determine whether 5-FU cream (5% 5-FU) absorbed through skin can produce genotoxic or cytotoxic effect in mouse bone marrow, induction of micronucleated erythrocytes (MNE) in mouse peripheral blood was examined after cutaneous application of 5-FU daily for 5 days.


RESULTS
5-FU cream induced significant micronuclei at doses of 37.5 mg (total weight of cream)/2 cm(2) and 75.0 mg/2 cm(2), as well as cytotoxic effects at doses of 150.0 and 300.0 mg/2 cm(2).


CONCLUSIONS
Cutaneous application of 5-FU increased number of MNE in mouse peripheral blood. These data emphasize the importance of using correct dose when applying drugs topically.
Zúñiga-González
Guillermo M
GM
Mutagénesis, División de Medicina Molecular, Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Occidente (CIBO), Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS), Guadalajara, Mexico. mutagenesis95@hotmail.com
Torres-Bugarín
Olivia
O
Zamora-Perez
Ana L
AL
Gómez-Meda
Belinda C
BC
Ramos-Ibarra
Ma Luisa
ML
Gallegos-Arreola
Patricia
P
Flores-García
Aurelio
A
López-Uribe
Apolinar
A
D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000818:Animals; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000494:pharmacology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D048629:Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D013997:Time Factors
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D005472:Fluorouracil