Corn oil and its minor constituents as inhibitors of DMBA-induced chromosomal breaks in vivo.

Inhibitory effects of corn oil and its constituents have been studied against 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced chromosomal breaks in B6C3F1 female mice using the in vivo bone-marrow micronucleus assay. We tested propyl gallate, alpha-tocopherol and beta-sitosterol as constituents of corn oil. In addition, sunflower oil was tested also to check whether corn oil differs from any other vegetable oil. Corn oil, propyl gallate, beta-sitosterol or sunflower oil were injected i.p. to mice for 2 days at 24-h intervals, prior to injecting DMBA i.p. alpha-Tocopherol was mixed in powdered food and the mice were fed on it for 4 days before receiving DMBA. Bone-marrow samples were collected at various 24-h intervals. About 50-70% reduction in number of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MNPCE)/500 PCEs were observed in all the treatments wherever corn oil was used. Significant inhibitory effects were noted in treatments with alpha-tocopherol and beta-sitosterol. Sunflower oil also showed an inhibitory effect, similar to that with corn oil.