title: Mitigation by vitamin C of the genotoxic effects of nicotine in mice, assessed by the comet assay and micronucleus induction.
abstract: Nicotine has been reported to cause acute toxicity and to present long-term risks, such as chromosomal damage and genetic instability. The genotoxicity of nicotine may be mediated partly by an oxidative mechanism. We have evaluated the effects of the antioxidant vitamin C on nicotine-induced genotoxicity in mice. The comet assay and the micronucleus test were used to assess the effects of nicotine (15mg/kg) at different exposure times (2, 4, and 24h in the comet assay; 24h in the micronucleus test). Pretreatment with vitamin C 24h before nicotine exposure strongly protected mice against nicotine-induced DNA damage.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Genética Toxicológica, Universidade Luterana do Brasil, Canoas, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vivian F S
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Kahl
authors.forename: Juliana M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.forename: Merielen S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Sarmento
authors.forename: Juliana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: da Silva
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016587:Antimutagenic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D009538:Nicotine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D016587:Antimutagenic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D009538:Nicotine; D001205:Ascorbic Acid