Sister chromatid exchange and chromosome aberrations in mice after in vivo exposure of green S--a food colorant.

Sister chromatic exchanges (SCE) and chromosome aberrations (CA) in mice after in vivo exposure of Green S were carried out following single acute treatment. Except for the lowest dose (25 mg/kg body weight) a significant increase in the SCEs were observed in all the other doses (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) tested. In CA study two higher doses (200 and 400 mg/kg) showed a significant increase in CA when compared with control. The minimum effective dose which induced SCE and CA was 50 and 200 mg/kg of body weight, respectively. The trend tests for the evidence of dose response effects were also significant for both SCE and CA. No significant differences were observed in cell replication kinetic (RI) analysis. A significant increase in the mitotic index (MI) was also observed in the highest dose (400 mg/kg) tested when compared with control. Thus the present study indicates that Green S can induce both SCE and CA in vivo in bone marrow cells of mice.