Quinolone effects in the SOS chromotest and the synthesis of biomacromolecules.

The genotoxicity of quinolone antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, enoxacin, nalidixic acid, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, pefloxacin) was studied on the selected mutant E. coli strain PQ 37 (SOS chromotest). The genotoxicity was expressed by SOS-inducing potential (SOSIP) values. The highest SOSIP values were found with ciprofloxacin (SOSIP = 1967 delta IF/nmol), the lowest value was observed with nalidixic acid (SOSIP = 0.3 delta IF/nmol). Similar results were also found with the biosynthesis of nucleic acids, as indicated by incorporation of 14C-adenine into TCA-insoluble fractions of S. typhimurium cells (ciprofloxacin IC50 = 0.39, nalidixic acid IC50 = 400). DNA-damaging effects were tested in the absence of an exogenous metabolizing system.