Antimutagenic activity of the novel antileukemic agents, avarone and avarol.

The two antileukemic agents, avarone and avarol, were determined to be neither direct nor indirect mutagenic agents in the Ames microsomal test. Moreover, the two sesquiterpenoid compounds drastically reduced the mutagenic effect of benzo[a]pyrene in the same system. Subsequent enzymic studies demonstrated that avarone and avarol are powerful inhibitors of benzo[a]pyrene monooxygenase.