Inhibition of mutagen formation by antioxidants in foods

Research Project

Project/Area Number	61560143
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	製造化学・食品
Research Institution	Kyoto University
Principal Investigator	MATSUSHITA Setsuro Research Institute for Food Science, Kyoto univeristy, 食糧科学研究所, 教授 (70027176)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	TERAO Junji Research Institute for Food Science, Kyoto University, 食糧科学研究所, 助手 (60093275)
Project Period (FY)	1986 – 1987
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 1987)
Budget Amount *help	¥1,700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,700,000) Fiscal Year 1987: ¥600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000) Fiscal Year 1986: ¥1,100,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000)
Keywords	Antioxidant / Tocopherol / Free radical / Mutagen / 脂質過酸化 / 抗変異原 / 脂質の酸化
Research Abstract	The purpose of this work is to know the relationship between the inhibition of mutagen formation by antioxidants present in foods and their free radical scavenging abilities. Benzo[a]pyrene quinone, which is demonstrated to be a mutagen, was used and the inhibitory effects of antioxidants of quinone formation from benzo[a]pyrene was examined. Liposomes comprising saturated phosphatibylcholine and benzo[a]pyrene were incubated at 37 ゜C in the presence of a water-soluble azo intiator. Benzo[a]pyrene 1,6-, 3,6- and 6,12- quinones were formed with the generation of peroxy radicals by the thermal decomposition of the initiator in an aqueous bhase of the suspension. Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) showed little inhibitory effect on quinone formation. Uric acid was found to suppress benzo[a]pyrene quinone formation completely at a concenration lower than that of vitamin C (ascorbic acid). When methl arachidonate hydroperoxides was decomposed by ferrous ion, benzo[a]pyrene was oxidized and produced oxidation products including benzo[a]pyreneduinones. Although alpha-tocopherol and synthetic antioxidants, BHA, could not suppress the decomposition of methyl arachidonate hydroperoxides, quinone formation was effectively inhibited by the increasing level of these antioxidants. This means that alpha-tocopherol and two synthetic antioxidants can scavenge reagicals responsible for the formation of quionne. It is suggensted that the pysical properties of antioxidants, as well as their hydrogen donating abilities, should be taken into account when their antimutagenic potentials are estimated in foods.