ANTIMUTAGENIC EFFECTS OF AJOENE, AN ORGANOSULFUR COMPOUND DERIVED FROM GARLIC

The antimutagenic effects of ajoene, which is an organosulfur compound derived from garlic, were investigated bg the Ames test, Ajoene inhib ited mutagenesis induced by both benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) and 4-nitro-1, 2-phenylenediamine (NPD) in a dose-dependent manner, In particular, NP D-induced mutagenesis was more effectively suppressed by ajoene than t he B[a]P-induced type. Furthermore, the inhibition of mutagenesis by a joene was more effective for transition-type mutations than for the fr ame shift type. HPLC analysis of B[a]P metabolism in the presence of t he rat liver microsomal fraction (S-9) showed that ajoene dose-depende ntly inhibited the metabolic activation of B[a]P, This suggests that a joene affected the metabolic enzymes in the S-9 fraction.