H. Stich, W. Stich, M. Rosin
1980
Citations
2
Influential Citations
42
Citations
Quality indicators
Journal
Food and cosmetics toxicology
Abstract
Abstract Three short-term assays were used to examine pyrazine and four of its alkyl derivatives (2-methylpyrazine, 2-ethylpyrazine, 2,5-dimethylpyrazine and 2,6-dimethylpyrazine) for the presence of mutagenic activity. Exposure of Salmonella typhimurium cultures to these compounds in an agar overlay did not result in the induction of revertants to histidine prototrophy, even when toxic doses were used. However, cultures of stationary phase Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain D5 showed an increase in aberrant colonies (but not mitotic recombinants) after exposure to each of the pyrazine compounds. Pyrazine and its derivatives all induced a significant (7- to 57-fold) increase in the frequency of chromosome aberrations (breaks and exchanges) in Chinese hamster ovary cells. These results indicate the need to use several assays and organisms when testing chemicals for the presence of mutagenic activity.