Protective Effects of Fruits and Vegetables against In Vivo Clastogenicity of Cyclophosphamide or Benzo[a]pyrene in Mice

Seven fruits and 10 vegetables commonly consumed in Germany were investigated for their anticlastogenic potencies against cyclophosphamide (CP) and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) in the in vivo mouse bone marrow micronucleus assay. We detected protective effects in 76.5% and 70.6% of the samples, respectively, and more or less distinct quantitative differences between the various plant materials and the two clastogens investigated. With respect to CP, moderate activities were exerted by sweet cherries, strawberries, cucumber, radish and tomatoes, average activities by bananas, oranges, peaches, asparagus and red beets and strong activities by yellow–red peppers and especially spinach. Apples (cultivar Jona Gold), brussels sprouts, cauliflower and onions were inactive. With respect to BaP, we found moderate activities in strawberries, brussels sprouts and radish, average activities in sweet cherries, oranges, peaches, asparagus, red beets, cucumber and spinach and strong activities in bananas and kiwi. Apples, cauliflower, onions, tomatoes and yellow–red peppers were inactive. When oranges were fractionated according to previously described schemes (Edenharder et al., 1995), anticlastogenic activities against CP were exerted by materials extracted with n-hexane, acetone and 2-propanol and in the terminal residue, but not in the dichloromethane and water phases. With respect to BaP, materials extracted with acetone showed strong anticlastogenicity while the 2-propanol fraction, the aqueous phase and the terminal residue were less potent. The n-hexane and the dichloromethane fractions were inactive. In red beets, all fractions showed anticlastogenicity against CP and BaP as well. However, the n-hexane and dichloromethane fractions were most potent with respect to CP, while for BaP the aqueous phase and the terminal residue were most effective. These result suggest the presence of various (groups of) anticlastogenic compounds with different chemical structure.