Sister chromatid exchanges and micronuclei formations induced by sorbic acid and sorbic acid-nitrite in vivo in mice.

The in vivo induction of sister chromatid exchanges and micronuclei formations by acute treatment with different concentrations of sorbic acid and by nitrite, individually and in combination, was studied in bone marrow cells of mice. A significant increase in the frequency of sister chromatid exchanges was only observed with the three higher concentrations of sorbic acid when compared to a distilled water control. Sodium nitrite produced a significant increase at all doses tested. A combination of half the concentration of sorbic acid and of sodium nitrite gave an additive effect over that of sorbic acid or sodium nitrite alone. In the micronucleus assay, the highest dose of sorbic acid (150 mg/kg body weight) produced a significant increase in micronuclei formations compared to the distilled water control. Sodium nitrite alone induced significant numbers of micronuclei at all concentrations tested when compared to the negative control. However, a combination of half the concentration of sorbic acid and of sodium nitrite gave synergistic effects which could possibly be ascribed to the formation of certain genotoxic compounds in vivo.