Mutagenicity and anti-mutagenicity of Acanthopanax divaricatus var. albeofructus.

The beneficial effects of Acanthopanax divaricatus var. albeofructus (ADA) extracts have been assessed by mutagenic and anti-mutagenic activities by Ames test. Mutation of Salmonella typhimurium strains TA 98, TA 100, TA1535, TA1537, and Escherichia coli WP2 uvr A was assayed in duplicates by the procedure of Maron and Ames in the presence or absence of S9 mix. As a result, ADA extracts were not mutagenic for S. typhimurium strains TA 98, TA 100, TA1535, TA1537, and E. coli by the Ames assay. Anti-mutagenic activity was assayed by the Ames mutagenicity assay using histidine mutant of S. typhimurium strains TA 98 and TA 100, using the plate-incorporation method. 2-Aminoanthrancene (2-AA), 2-(2-furyl)-3-(5-nitro-2-furyl) acrylamide (AF-2), and sodium azide (NaN(3)) were used as the mutagens. ADA extracts showed a strong anti-mutagenic activity against 2-AA-induced mutagenesis which requires liver-metabolizing enzymes, and the same extract exhibited inhibitory effects on AF-2 and NaN(3)-induced mutagenesis in the absence of liver-metabolizing enzymes. The data indicate that ADA extracts contain anti-mutagenic activities against typical mutagens. The anti-mutagenic property of ADA provides additional health supplemental value to the other claimed therapeutic properties of the plant.