The potential antimutagenic effect of stobadine dipalmitate (STB) on t
he frequency of micronuclei in reticulocytes of peripheral blood in fe
male ICR mice was studied. The cyclophosphamide model was used to veri
fy this effect. Stobadine dipalmitate was administered orally in three
concentrations: STB I, 7.07; STB II, 23.6; STB III:, 70.07 mg/kg body
wt 2 h prior to or 4 h after (STB II only) cyclophosphamide administr
ation (intraperitoneally, twice 80 mg/kg body wt with a 24 h interval)
. The method designed by Hayashi et al. [(1990) Mutat. Res., 245, 245-
249] was used to prepare and to stain the slides. The results of the e
xperiment show that pretreatment with stobadine 2 h prior to cyclophos
phamide administration significantly decreased its mutagenic effect, a
s manifested by the reduced frequency of micronucleated reticulocytes.
This protective effect of stobadine was concentration-dependent with
the highest concentration of stobadine inducing the most pronounced de
crease of micronuclei. Analysis and identification of the exact mechan
ism of the protective effects of stobadine is the aim of our further s
tudies.