The mutagenicity of nitroaromatic drugs: effect of metronidazole after incubation in hypoxia in vitro.

The analysis of induction of chromosomal aberration after incubation of V79-379A cells with 10 mM metronidazole in aerobic and hypoxic conditions has shown that, in concordance with cytotoxic effect, this drug exhibits a significant clastogenic action i hypoxic, but not in oxic cells. The duration of the post-incubation period after incubation with drug is important for expression of chromosomal damage. It is probable that other nitroaromatic drugs showing enhanced cytoxicity in hypoxia, which are widely used in medicine, could also belong to such specific class mutagens.