Lack of mutagenicity of fasciolicides.

Six fasciolicides, bithionol, bromofenofos, DS-6, nitroxynil, oxyclozanide and tribromsalan, were tested for mutagenicity in the Salmonella reverse mutation test using S. typhimurium tester strains TA100, TA98, TA1535, TA1537 and TA1538 and the micronucleus test in mice. None of the fasciolicides increased the number of revertant colonies in any tester strain in the presence and absence of S9 mix, nor did they induce a significant increase of the micronuclei in erythrocytes. Taking the high correlation between mutagenicity and carcinogenicity into consideration, these results suggest that the fasciolicides tested in this investigation are devoid of carcinogenic action.