Genotoxicity of safrole-related chemicals in microbial test systems.

The genotoxicity of safrole, 9 compounds that are structurally similar to safrole (anethole, cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl alcohol, estragole, methyl eugenol, eugenol, isoeugenol, isosafrole, piperonal), 5 essential oils, cassia oil, cinnamon bark oil, clove oil, fennel oil) which contain the chemicals tested, and 1 oleoresin was studies in 3 microbial test systems. Only anethole showed mutagenicity in the Ames Salmonella reversion assay. All chemicals except anethole, estragole and isosafrole were positive in the Bacillus subtilis DNA-repair test (Rec assay) without S9. All samples tested were negative in the Escherichia coli WP2 uvrA reversion test. The essential oils and pimenta oleoresin were positive in the DNA-repair test. The results obtained are discussed in relation to the nature of the problems encountered with each test method.