Studies on the genotoxicity of the anabolic drugs trenbolone and zeranol.

The androgen trenbolone, and the mycoestrogen zeranol, both anabolic drugs, were tested for their genotoxic potential. Test systems were the SOS-chromotest, the rec-assay and the V79 sister chromatid exchange test without and with metabolic activation using rat liver homogenates and primary rat hepatocytes. It is still a matter of debate if trenbolone has carcinogenic properties, because of its cell transforming activity in vitro. Trenbolone, however, did not demonstrate any genotoxic effect in the assays performed. The results obtained for zeranol were also negative in the SOS-chromotest and V79 sister chromatid exchange test but positive in the rec-assay.