The mutagenicity of senna glycosides and extracts of senna folium and senna fructus was investigated in the Salmonella typhimurium reversion assay. Senna glycosides were inactive in all strains, except for a slight, but significant increase in mutant frequency in TA102 in the absence and presence of liver microsomes. Extracts of senna fructus and senna folium demonstrated weak activity in TA97a, TA100 and TA102 in the presence of liver microsomes, and in TA97a and TA102 in the absence of liver microsomes. A strong increase in mutant frequency (3- to 5-fold above background frequency) was observed with all extracts in TA98 in the presence of liver microsomes. This activity increased further following enzymatic hydrolysis with hesperidinase of extracts of senna fructus from one source, and could be correlated to the release of the flavonol aglycones kaempferol and quercetin. The weak or lacking activity of anthraquinone aglycones in the tested strains of Salmonella typhimurium indicates that mutagenicity can not be attributed solely to the anthraquinone content of these plant materials. The chemical nature of other mutagenic components has not been elucidated.
9,10-epoxyoctadecanoic acid has been detected in human urine. Two simple purification procedures were used; the one based upon liquid-liquid extraction and the other based upon sorbent extraction technology isolating the free fatty acid fraction. Prior to trimethylsilylation and gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis, both the epoxy and carboxy functions were reduced to hydroxy groups. The shift in fragmentation of a deuterated sample verified the presence of intact epoxide prior to chemical reduction. Special attention was paid to the risk of false identification of the epoxide. The content of 9,10-epoxyoctadecanoic acid in human urine was estimated to be 2.1 nM/L.
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