INVESTIGATION OF THE POLAROGRAPHIC PROPERTIES AND POTENTIAL CARCINOGENITY OF SOME HYDROXYUREA DERIVATIVES BY DC POLAROGRAPHY

Polarographic reduction was studied for a series of 7 urea derivatives and the results were used to assess their potential carcinogenity. Th e polarographic reduction was examined in absolutely anhydrous dimethy lformamide by DC polarography. In the conditions applied, the majority of the compounds was reduced within a single two-electron step, only biuret and its formyl derivative were reduced in two one-electron step s. The potential carcinogenity of the substances was assessed based on the tg alpha value of the slope of dependence of the polarographic wa ve height on the concentration of alpha-lipoic acid added as a test su bstance. For hydroxyurea, which is the only substance in this series f or which a carcinogenic activity has been demonstrated, the tg alpha p arameter attained a value of 0.290. Still higher values were obtained for the formyl derivatives - formylbiuret (0.362) and 2-carbamoyl-1-fo rmylguanidine (0.510). So high tg alpha values warn of a significant p otential carcinogenity. The other substances studied exhibited conside rably lower tg alpha values, indicating that their potential carcinoge nity will be low.