Effect of four plant phenols, beta-carotene and alpha-tocopherol on 3(H)benzopyrene-DNA interaction in vitro in the presence of rat and mouse liver postmitochondrial fraction.

The modulatory effect of beta-carotene, alpha-tocopherol and the four plant phenols eugenol, hydroxychavicol, curcumin and catechin on mouse and rat liver postmitochondrial fraction (S9 mix)-mediated 3(H)benzopyrene (B(a)P)-DNA interaction in vitro was studied. All the plant phenolics significantly inhibited 3(H)B(a)P-DNA interaction in the presence of both mouse and rat liver S9 fractions. In contrast, alpha-tocopherol proved to be ineffective in the presence of both types of S9 mix, whereas beta-carotene inhibited only mouse S9 mix-mediated 3(H)B(a)P-DNA interaction.