Mutagenic activity of nine N,N-disubstituted hydrazines in the Salmonella/mammalian microsome assay

Summary The mutagenic activity of N,N -dimethyl-, N,N -diethyl-, N,N -dibutyl-, N,N -diisobutyl-, N,N -di( p -tolyl)-, N -ethyl- N -phenyl-, N,N -dibenzyl-, N,N -diphenyl- and N,N -diisopropylhydrazine was examined in the Salmonella/mammalian microsome assay using the strains TA1535, TA1537, TA97, TA98, TA100, TA102 and TA1530. All nine hydrazines were mutagenic in at least one tester strain, although of borderline significance for some of the compounds. The mutagenic potencies of the hydrazines varied 2–3 orders of magnitude, from very weak to moderate mutagenic activity. In general, the addition of S9 resulted in a lowering of the mutagenic activity and a lowering of the toxic properties of the hydrazines. The test results were relatively difficult to evaluate due to toxic effects of many of the test compounds on the test bacteria which may have resulted in an underestimation of the mutagenic potencies of some of the compounds. The pattern of mutagenic activity of the hydrazines in the different tester strains indicates that more than one mechanism of action may be involved in the mutagenicity.