After joining the MEIC (multicentre evaluation of in vitro cytotoxicity) programme, and submitting the first ten compounds of the programme to the Allium test, we found that this test correlates well with several other tests (e.g. MIT-24 cell test, and tests with mice, rats or humans in vivo).
The compounds tested were paracetamol, acetylsalicylic acid, iron sulphate, diazepam, amitriptyline, digoxin, ethylene glycol, methanol, ethanol and isopropanol. Among them, paracetamol turned Out to induce chromosome breakage in the meristems of Allium cepa root tips. This is the same qualitative response to paracetamol as that obtained previously in human lymphocytes in vivo and in vitro. The present results indicate that the eukaryotic higher plants may serve as highly useful test systems for biological risk evaluation.
BernsonV., BondessonI., EkwallB., StenbergK., and WalumE. (1987). A multicentre evaluation study of in vitro cytotoxicity.ATLA14, 144–146.
2.
EhrenbergL. (1989). Risk assessment of genotoxic agents. In New Trends in Genetic Risk Assessment (ed. JollesG., CordierA.), pp. 433–448. London: Academic Press.
3.
PlewaM.J., and GentileJ.M. (1982). The activation of chemicals into mutagens by green plants. In Chemical Mutagens, Vol. 7, Principles and Methods for their Detection (ed. deSerresF.J., HollaenderA.), pp. 401–420. New York: Plenum Press.
4.
LevanA. (1945). Cytological reactions induced by inorganic salt solutions.Nature56, 751.
5.
EnneverF.K., AndreanoG., and RosenkranzH.S. (1988). The ability of plant genotoxicity assays to predict carcinogenicity.Mutation Research205, 99–105.
6.
LevanA. (1938). The effect of colchicine on root mitoses in Allium.Hereditas24, 471–486.
7.
LevanA. (1939). Cytological phenomena connected with the root swelling caused by growth substances.Hereditas25, 87–96.
8.
LevanA., & ÖstergrenG. (1943). The mechanism of c-mitotic action: observations of the naphthalene series.Hereditas29, 381–443.
9.
FiskesjöG. (1985). The Allium test as a standard in environmental monitoring.Hereditas102, 99–112.
10.
FiskesjöG. (1988). The Allium test: an alternative in environmental studies. The relative toxicity of metal ions.Mutation Research197, 243–260.
11.
FiskesjöG. (1990). Chromosome breaks by paracetamol in a plant test system (Allium cepa L.). In New Horizons in Biological Dosimetry (ed. GledhillB.L., MauroF.), p. 563. New York: Wiley.
12.
ÖstergrenG. (1944). Colchicine mitosis, chromosome contraction, narcosis and protein chain folding.Hereditas30, 429–467.
13.
ÖstergrenG., and BajerA. (1960). La mitose dans les cellules traitées par le methanol. Etude micro-cinématographique.Collogues Internationaux Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique88, 199–207.
14.
ÖstergrenG. (1944). An efficient chemical for the induction of sticky chromosomes.Hereditas30, 213–216.
15.
LevanA., and TjioJ.H. (1948). Induction of chromosome fragmentation by phenols.Hereditas34, 453–484.
16.
Anantha ReddyG., and SubramanyamS. (1978). Action of paracetamol on dividing cells of Allium cepa.Current Science47, 20–21.
17.
WatanabeM. (1982). The cytogenic effects of aspirin and acetaminophen on in vitro human lymphocytes.Japanese Journal of Hygiene37, 673–685.
18.
HolmeJ.A., HongsloJ.K., BjörnstadC., HarvisonP.J., and NelsonS.D. (1988). Toxic effects of paracetamol and related structures in V79 Chinese hamster cells.Mutagenesis3, 51–56.
19.
HongsloJ.K., BjörgeC., SchwarzeP.E., BröggerA., MannG., ThelanderL., and HolmeJ.A. (1990). Paracetamol inhibits replicative DNA synthesis and induces sister-chromatid exchange and chromosomal aberrations by inhibition of ribonucleotide reductase.Mutagenesis5, 475–480.
20.
HongsloJ.K., BröggerA., BjörgeC., and HolmeJ.A. (1990). Increased frequency of chromosomal aberrations in lymphocytes after treatment of human volunteers with therapeutic doses of paracetamol.Pharmacology and Toxicology66, Suppl. 5, 14.
21.
HongsloJ.K., BröggerA., BjörgeC., and HolmeJ.A. (1991). Increased frequency of sister-chromatid exchange and chromatid breaks in lymphocytes after treatment of human volunteers with therapeutic doses of paracetamol.Mutation Research261, 1–8.
22.
EkwallB., BondessonI., CastellJ.V., Gómez-LechónM.J., HellbergS., HögbergJ., JoverR., PonsodaX., RomertL., StenbergK., and WalumE. (1989). Cytotoxicity evaluation of the first ten MEIC chemicals: acute lethal toxicity in man predicted by cytotoxicity in five cellular assays and by oral LD50 tests in rodents.ATLA17, 83–100.
23.
SiegelS. (1956). Non-parametric Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences, 312 pp. McGraw-Hill Kogakusha Ltd.
