Bhat R, Hadi S M
Department of Biochemistry, F/O: Life Sciences, A.M.U. Aligarh (U.P), India.
Biochem Mol Biol Int. 1994 Mar;32(4):731-5.
Kojic acid, a bacterial metabolite, intensively used in food and pharmaceutical industry has been reported to induce strand breaks in double stranded DNA. This genotoxic action of kojic acid was tested directly by using bacteriophage inactivation. The inactivating activity is mediated through DNA strand scissions by oxygen free radical intermediates. This was tested by quenching of the inactivation reaction in presence of radical scavengers. These results indicate the usefulness of a simple system to test various risk factors in dietary components.