Abstract

GRISOLIA, Cesar Koppe  and  FERRARI, Iris. In vitro and in vivo studies demonstrate non-mutagenicity of the herbicide metolachlor. Braz. J. Genet. [online]. 1997, vol.20, n.3 ISSN 0100-8455.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0100-84551997000300009.

The herbicide metolachlor was evaluated for genotoxic potential. Metolachlor did not induce micronuclei in mice, however at 40 mg/kg it significantly decreased the percentage of polychromatic erythrocytes, which is a cytotoxic effect. Metolachlor did not induce chromosomal aberrations in human lymphocytes in vitro, but 2.0 mg/ml culture medium resulted in cytotoxicity, decreasing the mitotic index significantly. The indirect exposure test was carried out by adding plasma from metolachlor-pretreated rats to the human lymphocyte cultures. There was no indication of clastogenicity by metolachlor metabolites. On the other hand, plasma of cyclophosphamide-pretreated rats had a significant clastogenic effect