The possibility that beer and other alcoholic beverages could be antimutagenic against the heterocyclic amines (HAs), a group of carcinogens produced on cooking proteinaceous foods, has been explored. In the Salmonella mutation assays, beer showed inhibitory effects against several HAs [preactivated Trp-P-1, Trp-P-2(NHOH), and Glu-P-1(NHOH)] that are directly mutagenic in bacteria. Japanese sake, red and white wines, and brandy were also effective. However, ethyl alcohol alone did not show these effects. The formation of O(6)-methylguanine by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine in the DNA of Salmonella YG7108 was also inhibited by beer. Nonvolatile beer components were administered orally to CDF(1) mice together with Trp-P-2. Adducts in the liver DNA were significantly decreased by the beer, as compared to those in controls fed Trp-P-2 only. Although several phenolic compounds known to be present in beer were antimutagenic toward these mutagens, their effects were very small. It was concluded that some yet to be identified component(s) of beer is (are) responsible for this antimutagenicity.
Red and yellow pigments extracted from Monascus anka and
Monascus purpureus (collectively called
Beni-Koji) are being used for food coloration. In the Ames
Salmonella assay, these pigments
themselves showed individually no mutagenic activity, and both of them
inhibited the mutagenicity
of
3-hydroxyamino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole
[Trp-P-2(NHOH)], the activated form of Trp-P-2
(3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole).
Laccaic acid and kaki pigment also inhibited the
mutagenicity of Trp-P-2(NHOH). Monascus dyes, both
yellow and red, inhibited the mutagenicity
of metabolically activated
2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline,
2-amino-3,4-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline, and cooked-meat extract.
Incubation of Trp-P-2(NHOH) with the Monascus
dyes
resulted in a rapid disappearance of the mutagen. Therefore, a
role of the dyes in the inhibition of
the mutagenicity appears to be acceleration of the decomposition of the
activated mutagens.
Keywords: Antimutagenicity; food colorant; heterocyclic amine; Monascus;
laccaic acid; degradation
of mutagen
In Japan, the number of diabetic patients has increased steadily. According to a 2007 report by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the number of diabetic patients and its reserves is estimated to be 22 million, or aˆfth of adults. On a global scale, the number of deaths due to diabetes is almost equivalent to that due to AIDS. Therefore, in 2006, WHO designated November 14 as World Diabetes Day and began a worldwide campaign to increase people's awareness of diabetes. Diabetic patients usually ‰uctuate between good and bad data of SMBG (self-monitoring of blood glucose). However, the main goal of diabetes treatment is to not only keep good data of SMBG but also prevent diabetes-related complications from arising, because such complications have a major impact on patients' QOL and medical costs. At medical institutions, CDEJs (Certiˆed Diabetes Educator of Japan, a qualiˆcation awarded to health care professionals such as nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, laboratory technicians, and physiotherapists) provide information to diabetic patients in order to increase their knowledge of the disease; such professionals also assist with patients' medical treatments. I would like to discuss frequently used diabetes medications, the latest treatments for diabetes, the problems faced by diabetic patients, and so on, from the perspective of a hospital pharmacist.
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