Genotoxicity assessment of NIM-76 and its formulation (pessary) in an in vitro Ames Salmonella/microsome assay and in vivo mouse bone marrow micronucleus test

Abstract

The possible genotoxic potential of NIM-76, a volatile fraction obtained from neem oil, having promising contraceptive activity, as well as its formulation product, called pessary (7.5% NIM-76 in polyethylene glycol), were evaluated in the Ames assay and mouse bone marrow micronucleus (MN) assay. Genotoxicity of NIM-76 (0.1–1000 µg/plate) and pessary (0.1–10 000 µg/plate) were studied using the liquid preincubation protocol of the Ames assay both in the presence and absence of S9. Likewise, the ability of NIM-76 [1–1000 mg/kg body weight (b.w.)] and its formulation product (18.75–300 mg/kg b.w.) to induce clastogenic effects were studied in the female mouse bone marrow MN test by using a two-dose intraperitoneal treatment protocol. There was no increase in the number of revertant colonies resulting from NIM-76 or pessary at any of their doses over the respective negative control plates, either in the presence or absence of S9. Similarly, in the MN assay, neither of them showed any clastogenic activity because there was no significant increase in the frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes, over the negative control group of animals. The use of this compound in humans is therefore not likely to have mutagenic effects and may be considered as safe with regard to genotoxic potential.

• Ames assay
• genotoxicity
• micronucleus assay
• mutagenicity
• neem oil
• NIM-76
• pessary

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Prof. (Dr) M.P. Kaushik, Director, Defense Research and Development Establishment, Gwalior, for his keen interest and encouragement in this study.