Metabolic activation of three arylamines and two organophosphorus insecticides by coriander (Coriandrum sativum) a common edible vegetable

Organophosphorus insecticides and arylamines, widely distributed in the env ironment, can be activated into mutagens by plants. Plant activation of thr ee aromatic amines, 4-nitro-o-phenylenediamine (NOP), m-phenylenediamine (i n-PDA) and 2-aminofluorene (2AF), and two organophosphorus insecticides, di methoate and methyl parathion has been the focus of this study. The plant c ell/microbe coincubation assay was used employing coriander (Coriandrum sat ivum) suspended cell cultures as the activating system. Interestingly, this vegetable is included in the Mexican diet and ingested generally uncooked and could have epidemiological consequences. As a genetic end point, the Sa lmonella typhimurium tester strain TA98 was used. Protein contents, as well as peroxidase activity and peroxidase activity inhibited by diethyldithioc arbamate (DEDTC) of coriander cultures were determined after the coculture. Coriander cells highly activated three aromatic amines, NOP, m-PDA and 2-A F to mutagenic products detected in Salmonella. On the other hand, insectic ides were only lightly activated, probably because peroxidase activity of c oriander cells was inhibited, corroborated by DEDTC peroxidase inhibition. In all the assays, NOP was the more potent mutagenic compound. The results demonstrated that coriander cells were metabolically competent and suitable for a plant cell microbe coincubation assay, developed to analyze the prom utagen activation by plant systems and can be used as a indicator of potent ial genetic effects. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights rese rved.