[Studies on determining the mutagenicity risk of triethylenetetramine (author's transl)].

Triethylenetetramine (TETA) is the only available effective drug for the treatment of patients with Wilson's disease and with simultaneous intolerance to D-penicillamine. In the Ames-test, however both TETA and the structurally similar tetramine BE 6184 are mutagenic. The naturally occurring spermine, a closely related tetramine differing only in one additional methylene group in every carbon chain, shows no mutagenicity. TETA does not exhibit any mutagenic potency in the micronucleus-test.