The effect of wheat sprout extract on benzo(a)pyrene and 7,2-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene activity.

Subcutaneous application of aqueous wheat sprout extract to mice resulted in a slight decrease of the ability of fraction S-9 from their skin to activate DMBA to metabolites mutagenic for S. typhimurium TA 98. Induction by benzo(a)pyrene of sperm abnormalities in mice was diminished after oral administration of the wheat sprout extract; however, even high doses of the extract did not completely abolish the effect of benzo(a)pyrene on spermatozoa. In the carcinogenicity studies, the wheat sprout extract, when applied to mouse skin during the initiation phase, enhanced fourfold the induction of papillomas by DMBA and shortened the period of latency from 9 to 5 weeks.