ANTICLASTOGENIC EFFECTS OF GALANGIN AGAINST BLEOMYCIN-INDUCED CHROMOSOMAL-ABERRATIONS IN MOUSE SPLEEN LYMPHOCYTES

Galangin, a flavonoid derivative, was tested for its anticlastogenic e ffect against the induction of chromosome aberrations by bleomycin. Fo r an in vitro assay, galangin (0, 2x10(-8), 2x10(-7), and 2x10(-6) M) was added to mouse spleen lymphocyte cultures together with bleomycin (3 mu g/ml) at 24 h after Con A initiation of cultures. In an in vivo/ in vitro experiment, galangin (0, 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 mg/kg) was admin istered to mice orally twice with a 24-h interval. Mice were killed 8 h later. Spleen lymphocytes were isolated and cultures were made. Bleo mycin (3 mu g/ml) was added to the mouse spleen lymphocyte cultures at 24 h after Con A initiation. Both in vitro and in vivo/in vitro cultu res were harvested at 42 h after initiation. The harvested cells were used for cytogenetic analyses. The results showed that in vitro or in vivo treatment of lymphocytes with galangin suppressed the induction o f chromosome aberrations by bleomycin in a galangin dose-dependent man ner. The galangin doses used were non-clastogenic to cells. The data f rom our in vitro and in vivo/in vitro studies confirmed each other and indicate that galangin is an anticlastogenic agent. The in vivo/in vi tro protocol may be a useful means to assay the chemoprotective effect s of chemicals in humans.