Results of tests for possible transmitted genetic effects of hycanthone in mammals.

Extensive tests to detect transmitted genetic effects of hycanthone in mammals have been made to provide the most pertinent information for estimating a possible mutagenic hazard of this compound. The tests include dominant lethal studies in males and females, X chromosome loss study in offspring of treated females, and a search for deficiencies and gene mutations in the offspring of treated males whose germ cells were exposed in spermatogonial and postspermatogonial stages. In most tests, no genetic effect of hycanthone was observed even at dosages much higher than the clinical level. In the few cases where the results are possibly or definitely positive, there is none where the magnitude of the effect estimated, with maximizing assumptions, at the clinical level reaches as high as 10% of the spontaneous mutation rate or 10% of the frequency in controls.