Mutagenic properties of ethylidene gyromitrin and its metabolites in microsomal activation tests and in the host-mediated assay.

Ethylidene gyromitrin (acetaldehyde-N-methyl-N-formylhydrazone) is the main poisonous hydrazine derivative in the edible mushroom false morel (Gyromitra esculenta Pers. Fr.). The mutagenic properties of this compound, and of its metabolites N-methyl-N-formylhydrazine and N-methylhydrazine, were tested by microsomal activation and host-mediated assay. Histidine auxotroph strains of Salmonella typhimurium were used as indicator organisms. Microsomal preparations had no detectable effect on the biological activity of the compounds tested, but the results of host-mediated assay experiments suggested that a bacteriocidic metabolite is formed from ethylidene gyromitrin.