GENOTOXICITY IN-VIVO OF PHENAZINE AND AMINOPHENAZINES ASSAYED IN THE WING SPOT-TEST AND THE DNA-REPAIR TEST WITH DROSOPHILA-MELANOGASTER

The genotoxicity and DNA-damaging activity of 6 phenazine and aminophe nazine derivatives were assayed in the wine spot and DNA-repair tests in Drosophila melanogaster. Phenazine (Pz), and all aminophenazines te sted, namely, 1-aminophenazine (AP(z)), 2-APz, 2,3-diaminophenazine (D APz), 2,7-DAPz and 2,7-diamino-3,8-dimethylphenazine (DADMPz), exhibit ed mutagenicity significantly in the wing spot test. The activities in the wing spot test were ranked in a sequence DADMPz > (2,7-DAPz, 2,3- DAPz) > (2-APz, 1-APz, Pz). In the DNA-repair test, 2,3-DAPz, 2,7-DAPz , and DADMPz clearly showed DNA-damaging activity, but Pt, 1-APz and 2 -APz were inactive. Based on these results, we predict that DADMPz, 2, 3-DAPz and 2,7-DAPz an likely to be more carcinogenic than 2-APz, 1-AP z or Pz.