MOLECULAR AND GENOTOXIC STUDIES OF SOME NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC COMPOUNDS

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Many health risks occur as a result of the use of synthetic food additives in industry, on a large scale, that was illustrated by many health and cancer organizations. So that, the present study investigated the genotoxicity effects of nine food additives that includes different classes of synthetic and natural additives (Colors, Preservatives, Antioxidants, Flavors and Sweeteners) on lymphocytes from rats or human volunteer. The genotoxicity was estimated using the alkaline comet assay, while the cytotoxicity was determined by Trypan blue exclusion method and the IC50 was calculated for each compound. Significant genotoxic effect obtained in the comet assay presented as tail percentages and tail moment for DNA strand breaks. Hence, the migration of its fragmentations from the head (chromosomes in nucleus) by electrophoretic mobility was determined on low melting agarose gel. Furthermore, the investigation of the genotoxic effects of tested food colorants and sweeteners including; Erythrosine, Carminic acid, Aspartame and Sorbitol on another cell type (human lymphocyte cells) were proceeded using the alkaline comet assay. Their ability to induce apoptosis, which is required to be sure that the tested compounds are safe on human health, was also studied.