MUTAGENIC, CARCINOGENIC AND COCARCINOGENIC ACTIVITY OF CASHEWNUT SHELL LIQUID

The petroleum ether extract of cashewnut shell (Anacardium occidentale ) was tested for its mutagenic, carcinogenic and cocarcinogenic potenc y. Mutagenicity tests using Salmonella typhimurium (Ame's test) Strain s TA 1535, TA 100 and TA 98 showed that cashewnut shell liquid is non- mutagenic up to a concentration of 0.003% (in 0.1 ml DMSO) with and wi thout metabolic activation (S9 mixture). Carcinogenicity testing using murine (female Swiss albino mice) two stage skin tumourigenesis model revealed that cashewnut shell liquid has no tumour initiating potency at a concentration of 10% (in 0.2 ml acetone) while it may act as wea k promoter (P <0.05) at a concentration of 5% (in 0.2 ml acetone). Tes ting for cocarcinogenic potency of cashewnut shell liquid (2% and 5% i n 0.2 ml acetone) demonstrated that it has no cocarcinogenic potency o n mouse skin tumour model when applied along with 2x10-6% benzo(a)pyre ne in acetone up to a period-of 20 weeks. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ir eland Ltd.