STUDIES ON ANTIMUTAGENIC EFFECTS OF GUAVA (PSIDIUM-GUAJAVA) IN SALMONELLA-TYPHIMURIUM

The water and chloroform extracts of guava were tested for their antim utagenicity. The water extract was effective in inactivating the mutag enicity of direct-acting mutagens, e.g., 4-nitro-o-phenylenediamine, s odium azide, and the S9-dependent mutagen, 2-aminofluorene, in the tes ter strains of Salmonella typhimurium. The chloroform extract was inac tive. Autoclaving of the water extract for 15 min did not reduced its activity appreciably. The enhanced inhibitory activity of the extracts on pre-incubation suggests the possibility of desmutagens in the extr acts. Besides ascorbic acid and citric acid, the major constituents of the extracts, the role of other antimutagenic factors in the extracts cannot be ruled out.