Effect of a dialyzate of spinach on the chromosomal aberration induced by mutagens in cultured Chinese hamster cells

We examined the antimutagenic effect of a spinach extract on the chromosomal aberration induced by mutagens in a cultured Chinese hamster lung cell line (C H L). The dialyzate of the spinach extract suppressed the frequency and the total number of chromosomal aberrations induced by such mutagens as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), N-methy1-N'-nitro-N-nitroso-guanidine (M N N G) and mitomycin C (M M C), while it showed no effect on the clastogenicity of 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4 N Q O). The dialyzate of the spinach extract completely inhibited the clastogenicity of H2O2 at a concentration of 50 μg/ml. The extract also suppressed the frequency of chromosomal aberration induced by M N N G and M M C, although this suppression was not total.