Inhibitory effects of xanthone on paraquat- and NaNO(2)-induced genotoxicity in cultured cells.

The inhibitory effects of xanthone on genotoxicity induced by paraquat and NaNO(2) in cultured Chinese hamster lung (CHL) cells were examined. Xanthone forms the central core of xanthones. Xanthones are present in mangosteen, which is widely used as health food because of its many pharmacological properties. Paraquat (PQ, a superoxide anion generator) and NaNO(2) induce genotoxic effects, including sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and decreased cell cycle rate, in CHL cells. Xanthone inhibited the genotoxic effects of PQ and NaNO(2) at concentrations of more than 5 microM. The present results suggested the potent antigenotoxic effects of xanthones in mangosteens.