Genotoxic and clastogenic effects of doxorubicin

Duxorubicine is an anthracyclin used widely in medical oncology. The purpos e of this investigation was to evaluate the genotoxic and clastogenic effec ts of this substance through re cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay. This short-term mutagenicity assay is of easy realization and quick interpretati on. It has enabled the demonstration of a significant decrease, after expos ure of cells to doxorubicin, of the rate of micronucleated cells (average = 10.8 +/- 5.7 micronucleus versus 31.9 +/- 11.5 after exposure, p<0.0001) a nd chromosomic aberrations (1 aberration for the control culture results 17 since the first dose, p< 0.001). Al the end of this study, die cytokinesis -block, micronucleus assay represents a reliable test to study and evaluate the genotoxic power of some substances.