The desmutagenic activity of the water extract of Cassia tora L on the mutagenicity induced by 4- nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4-NQO) and N-methyl-N-nitro-N'-nitrosoguani-dine (MNNG) was studied using the SOS Chromotest with Escherichia coli PQ37. The inhibition rates of water extract of Cassia tora L. at concentration of 100 μg/assay were 27.5% and 40% against 4-NQO and MNNG. The water extract of Cassia tora L. was separated into methanol soluble and methanol insoluble parts. The methanol soluble part exhibited higher inhibition effects than the methanol insoluble part against the mutagenic activities of 4-NQO and MNNG. Step-wise fractionation of methanol soluble part was done to obtain methanol, ethyl acetate and water fractions. Among these fractions, water fraction had the strongest inhibitory effects of 23.0 and 19.0% against mutagenicities of MNNG and 4NQO, repectively. The results clearly indicated that the water fraction showed much stronger antimutagenicity against MNNG than 4NQO. The inhibition rates of aqueous fraction of methanol-soluble from water extracted Cassia tora L. at concentrations of 1.0 10, 100 and 250 μg/assay were 8.0%, 12.0%, 25.5% and 43.0%, respectively. The water fraction showed the inhibitory effects with dose response against the mutagenic activities induced by MNNG.

• 안병용(전북대학교) | Ahn Byung Yong Correspondence