INFLUENCE OF PRO-OXIDANTS AND ANTIOXIDANTS ON THE FORMATION OF MUTAGENIC-CARCINOGENIC HETEROCYCLIC AMINES IN A MODEL SYSTEM

The precursors of the heterocyclic amines (HAs), creatinine, glycine a nd glucose, were heated with the addition of different iron and copper compounds, hydroquinone, corn oil, beta-carotene, tocopherols and syn thetic antioxidants. The yield of HAs in the model system was affected by added pro- and antioxidants, while the species formed were not. Mo st of the antioxidants, as well as different forms of iron, were shown to increase the amount of 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxali ne (MeIQx) formed in the model system. Copper had no effect on the for mation of MeIQx. Hydroquinone had only a small increasing effect but, in combination with iron sulphate, an extreme increase in MeIQx, 2-ami no-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (IQx) and 2-amino-3,7,8-trimethyl imidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (7,8-DiMeIQx) formation was observed. beta-c arotene and gamma-tocopherol were shown to inhibit the synergistic eff ect of hydroquinone and iron sulphate, but had less effect in model mi xtures containing none or only one of the pro-oxidants. (C) 1996 Publi shed by Elsevier Science Ltd.