ULTRASONICATION - THE WAY TO ACHIEVE ANTIMUTAGENIC EFFECT OF CARBOXYMETHYL-CHITIN-GLUCAN BY ORAL-ADMINISTRATION

Carboxymethyl-chitin-glucan (CMCG) isolated from Aspergillus niger was ultrasonicated to decrease its molecular weight. Ultrasonicated CMCG with molecular weight 0.19 x 10(-5) was administered either intraperit oneally or orally prior to cyclophosphamide (CP) injection and its eff ect on the frequency of micronuclei in polychromatic erythrocytes of m ouse bone marrow was evaluated. Both ways of CMCG administration signi ficantly decreased the clastogenic effect of CP. The protective effect of CMCG was concentration dependent, with a higher decrease achieved by 200 mg/kg than by 100 mg/kg b.wt. Ultrasonic depolymerization of hi gh molecular CMCG resulted in its anticlastogenic effect against CP no t only on intraperitoneal, but also on oral administration, achieved b y decreasing its molecular weight. Ultrasonication proved to be an eff icient way to obtain molecules of CMCG able to pass through the cell w alls of the gastrointestinal tract. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.