Cytochrome P-450 mediated genotoxicity of triarylmethane dye in mice fed ethanol liquid diet.

Genotoxic effect of synthetic triarylmethane dye (Acid Green 16) was evaluated in Balb C mice fed nutritionally adequate liquid diet (1 kcal/ml) or isocaloric alcoholic diet containing 5% (w/v) ethanol (36% of total calories) for 6 days. Dye compound was given intraperitoneally at dose 150 mg/kg body wt. 30 h before test. The micronucleus test was used for evaluation of genotoxicity of the dye. The level of cytochrome P-450 and the activity of 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase (ECOD) and 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) in microsomes were determined to assess the metabolic efficiency of the microsomal system. Acid Green 16 dye provoked an increased frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes in bone marrow and ethanol enhanced this genotoxic effect through induction of cytochrome P-4502E1 and stimulation of activities of microsomal monooxygenases (ECOD and EROD), presumably catalyziung bioactivation of the dye.