Mutagenesis

Rifampicin as an antibiotic drug was tested in order to evaluate its genotoxicity through many tests: micronucleus test (MN), sister chromatid exchange (SCE) in somatic cells and chromosomal aberrations in germ cells. The drug was studied through MN as a rule by two separate experiments, peripheral blood sampled from the same animal was examined 0, 24, 48 and 72 h after treatment with the tested concentrations. The frequencies of micronucleated peripheral reticulocytes (MNRETs) were recorded based on observation of 1,000 reticulocytes per mouse. Rifampicin induced MNRETs dose-dependently. It gave the greatest response 48 h after treatment. SCE increased at all the tested concentrations (160 and 310 mg kg–1 body wt.) except the lowest (80 mg–1 body wt.), while that low dose induced a significant effect on the induction of chromosomal aberrations in the germ cells, indicating that rifampicin has a potential clastogenic effect.