Evaluation of the mutagenicity of the molluscicidal latex of Christ's Crown (Euphorbia milii var. hislopii) in mammalian cells in vitro and in vivo
Zamith, H.P.; Paumgartten, F.J.; Speit, G.
Mutation Research 368(1): 15-20
1996
ISSN/ISBN: 0027-5107 PMID: 8637506 Document Number: 456590
The latex of Euphorbia milii var. hislopii (syn. E. splendens var. hislopii) is a highly active plant molluscicide and could be used for snail control to reduce the prevalence of schistosomiasis in endemic areas. Latex (collected in Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil) was investigated for its capacity to induce gene mutations and chromosome aberrations in V79 Chinese hamster cells in the absence and presence of an extrinsic metabolic activation system, S9-mix. Concentrations up to 800 micro g/ml induced neither gene mutations at the HPRT locus nor chromosome aberrations. Latex had no effect on the frequencies of chromosome aberrations in the bone marrow of male and female Wistar rats at a single oral dose of 1000 mg/kg. The results indicate that latex is not mutagenic in mammalian cells and its use as a molluscicide does not pose a mutagenic hazard for humans.