Inhibition of tobacco-induced mutagenesis by eugenol and plant extracts.

Inhibitory effects of eugenol, a compound present in many spices such as cloves, cardamom etc. and the extracts of Anacyclus pyrethrum and Spilanthes calva which are traditionally used in India during the preparation of chewable tobacco, on tobacco-induced mutagenesis were evaluated using Ames Salmonella/microsome assay. Eugenol significantly inhibited (P < 0.001) tobacco-induced mutagenicity at concentrations of 0.5 and 1 mg/plate. Anacyclus pyrethrum extract (1 mg/plate) produced 74.33% inhibition while the extract of Spilanthes calva at 2 mg/plate inhibited tobacco-induced mutagenesis by 86.4%. Eugenol and the plant extracts also inhibited the nitrosation of methylurea in a dose-dependent manner.