The mutagenic activity of seven newly synthesized sulfa drugs was stud
ied in Salmonella typhimurium, using forward mutation to 8-azaguanine
(8-AG) resistance and reversion mutation assays (Ames test) both in th
e absence and presence of Aroclor induced rat liver S9. In forward mut
ation assays, N-1-methylsulfanilamide, N-4-acetyl-N-1-methylsulfanilam
ide and N-4-acetyl-N-1-diethylsulfanilamide were mutagenic to S. typhi
murium TM677 both in the presence and absence of metabolic activation
while N-4-acetylsulfamilamide, N-1-diethylsulfanilamide and 4-nitro-N-
2-pyridinylbenzenesulfonamide [2-(p-nitrobenzenesulfonamido)pyridine]
were mutagenic only in the presence of metabolic activation. However,
none of the seven compounds had any mutagenic effect on S. typhimurium
TA98 or TA100 in the absence or presence of metabolic activation, by
the Ames test preincubation method. The relationship between the struc
ture of the compounds and their mutagenic is also discussed.