CYTOGENETIC EFFECTS OF THE ANTICHAGASIC BENZNIDAZOLE ON HUMAN-CELLS IN-VITRO

Benznidazole (bz) is a widely used trypanosomicidal agent in South Ame rica. Two test systems were used to evaluate its genotoxicity in human cells in vitro: (a) human blood lymphocytes from healthy volunteers f or induction of sister-chromatid exchanges (SCEs) and chromosomal aber rations (CAs); (b) a human hepatoma cell line (Hep G2) for the inducti on of SCEs and micronuclei (MN). In spite of being non-clastogenic on human lymphocytes, there was a significant increase in the frequency o f MN on hepatoma cells treated with different doses of bz. This result s support previous data which indicated the necessity of nitroreductio n of nitroimidazoles to observe their mutagenic effects. Interestingly , bz induced a significant increase in the frequency of SCEs in both t est systems. The sensitivity of the parameters used and the role of ce llular metabolic pathways are discussed.