GENOTOXICITY TESTING IN SOME SPICES IN DIPLOID YEAST

A study was conducted to assess the mutagenic and recombinogenic poten tial of 10 commonly consumed spices and condiments viz., bay leaves, b lack pepper, cardamom small, caraway, red chilies, cinnamon, coriander , fennel, garlic and curry powder in the diploid yeast Saccharomyces c erevisiae. Aqueous extracts of these spices were tested for the induct ion of mitotic gene conversion and reverse mutation in the diploid str ain D7 of the yeast. All except cinnamon failed to induce detectable r ecombination and mutations in the growing cells of the yeast without e xogenous metabolic activation. Treatments with an aqueous extracts of cinnamon significantly increased the rate of gene conversion and rever se mutation. Cinnamon caused cells death and inhibition of cell divisi on. Ethyl methane sulphonate (EMS) used as a positive control exhibite d recombinogenic and mutagenic effects.