The title compound is a more potent carcinogen than would be anticipated fr
om its simple phenanthrene structure lacking further D-ring conjugation. In
vitro it undergoes microsomal metabolism to yield as major metabolites its
15- and 17-alcohols and its 16,17-diol; other minor metabolites are also d
erived from attack at the 5-membered ring, but no evidence of aromatic oxid
ation is apparent. The title compound is a weak mutagen in the Ames' test w
ith Salmonella typhimurium TA100, bur only with microsomal bio-activation.
The 17-ol and 16,17-diol are inactive, with or without biological activatio
n. By contrast the 15-alcohol, a rather reactive compound, is a strong muta
gen both in the presence and absence of the bio-activation system. This, th
erefore, may be the proximate carcinogen, and its structural analogy to the
naturally occurring hepato-carcinogen safrole is noted. (C) 2000 Elsevier
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