EFFECT OF FURAZOLIDONE ON SISTER-CHROMATID EXCHANGES, CELL-PROLIFERATION KINETICS, AND MITOTIC INDEX IN-VIVO AND IN-VITRO

Furazolidone is an antimicrobial compound used in human and veterinary medicine. The aim of this investigation was to determine its genotoxi c capacity in vitro and in vivo. We used the human lymphocyte culture system to detect the effect of 2.0, 4.0, 6.0, 8.0, or 10.0 mu g/ml, an d the mouse bone marrow assay to determine the effect of 8.6, 30.0, or 75.0 mg/kg furazolidone. In both systems we determined the frequency of sister-chromatid exchanges (SCE), the cell proliferation kinetics ( CPK), and the mitotic index (MI). The in vitro results showed a signif icant SCE increase starting from the second dose tested and a CPK and MI decrease starting from the third dose. The in vivo results showed a SCE increase with the two high doses tested, but no significant modif ication was found in the CPK and MI with the three doses tested in the experiment.