Genotoxicity assessment of some cosmetic and food additives.
α-Hexylcinnamaldehyde (HCA) and p-tert-butyl-alpha-methylhydrocinnamic aldehyde (BMHCA) are synthetic aldehydes, characterized by a typical floral scent, which makes them suitable to be used as fragrances in personal care (perfumes, creams, shampoos, etc.) and household products, and as flavouring additives in food and pharmaceutical industry. The aldehydic structure suggests the need for a safety assessment for these compounds. Here, HCA and BMHCA were evaluated for their potential genotoxic risk, both at gene level (frameshift or base-substitution mutations) by the bacterial reverse mutation assay (Ames test), and at chromosomal level (clastogenicity and aneuploidy) by the micronucleus test. In order to evaluate a primary and repairable DNA damage, the comet assay has been also included. In spite of their potential hazardous chemical structure, a lack of mutagenicity was observed for both compounds in all bacterial strains tested, also in presence of the exogenous metabolic activator, showing that no genotoxic derivatives were produced by CYP450-mediated biotransformations. Neither genotoxicity at chromosomal level (i.e. clastogenicity or aneuploidy) nor single-strand breaks were observed. These findings will be useful in further assessing the safety of HCA and BMHCA as either flavour or fragrance chemicals.
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", "Sapienza" University, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: antonella.disotto@uniroma1.it.
Antonella
A
Di Sotto
Department of Sciences for Life Quality Studies, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Corso D'Augusto 237, 47921 Rimini, Italy.
Francesca
F
Maffei
Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 48, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
Patrizia
P
Hrelia
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", "Sapienza" University, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
Silvia
S
Di Giacomo
Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80132 Naples, Italy.
Ester
E
Pagano
Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80132 Naples, Italy.
Francesca
F
Borrelli
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", "Sapienza" University, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
Gabriela
G
Mazzanti
D000171:Acrolein / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000633:toxicity; D000328:Adult; D000447:Aldehydes / Q000633:toxicity*; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004249:DNA Damage; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D005503:Food Additives / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D010476:Perfume / Q000633:toxicity*; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics
D000447:Aldehydes; D005503:Food Additives; D010476:Perfume; C551429:alpha-hexylcinnamaldehyde; D000171:Acrolein; C038018:lilial
Comet assay; Genotoxicity; Lilial®; Micronuclei; Point mutations; α-Hexylcinnamaldheide