EFFECT OF CAPTOPRIL ON THE CYTOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL-CHANGES INDUCED BY ADRIAMYCIN

Captopril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, was evaluated f or its antimutagenic potential. Male Swiss albino mice (6-8 wk old) we re treated orally with different doses of captopril dissolved in water for 7 days. Some of the mice in each group were injected ip with adri amycin (ADM; 15 mg/kg body weight) and killed after 30 hr. Femoral cel ls of mice were collected and studied for reduction of micronuclei. Pr oteins, RNA and DNA were determined in hepatic cells. Captopril pretre atment was found to reduce ADM-induced micronuclei in polychromatic ce lls and increase the quantity of protein, RNA and DNA in hepatic cells . The inhibition of clastogenicity observed may be due to free-radical scavenging action of captopril.