Inhibitory effects of beer and other alcoholic beverages on mutagenesis and DNA adduct formation induced by several carcinogens

The possibility that beer and other alcoholic beverages could be antimutage nic against the heterocyclic amines (HAs), a group of carcinogens produced on cooking proteinaceous foods, has been explored. In the Salmonella mutati on assays, beer showed inhibitory effects against several HAs [preactivated Trp-P-1, Trp-P-2(NHOH), and Glu-P-1(NHOH)I that are directly mutagenic in bacteria. Japanese sake, red and white wines, and brandy were also effectiv e. However, ethyl alcohol alone did not show these effects. The formation o f O-6-methylguanine by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine in the DNA of S almonella YG7108 was also inhibited by beer. Nonvolatile beer components we re administered orally to CDF1 mice together with Trp-P-2. Adducts in the l iver DNA were significantly decreased by the beer, as compared to those in controls fed Trp-P-2 only. Although several phenolic compounds known to be present in beer were antimutagenic toward these mutagens, their effects wer e very small. It was concluded that some yet to be identified component(s) of beer is tare) responsible for this antimutagenicity.