Antimutagenic effect of one variety of green pepper (Capsicum spp.) and its possible interference with the nitrosation process

It is known that the poblano green pepper, a significant component in the Mexican diet, contains certain natural compounds such as chLorophyll, beta -carotene, and vitamins, which have antimutagenic and/or anticarcinogenic properties. Using the somatic mutation and recombination test in wing cells of Drosophila melanogaster, an extract of the poblano pepper (Capsicum spp.) was evaluated to determine its antimutagenic effect against the nitrosation process, simulating the process occurring in the human stomach caused by known food additives. Larvae of 72 h old D. melanogaster of standard (ST) and high bioactivation (HB]) crosses were exposed in a simultaneous, chronic treatment with the juice expressed from the crushed, whole, fresh pepper fruit, plus the mixture of 20 mM methyl urea (MU) and sodium nitrite (SN), mixed with the animals' food. Three doses of pepper juice (12.5, 25, and 50%) were used. The background mutation rate given as spots per wing was 0.36 and 0.48 for ST and HB, respectively. Mutation frequencies produced by the MU and SN mixture was 1.73 (ST) and 26.46 (HB) mutations per wing. The poblano juice decreased the above rates between 40 and 80%, respectively. The experiments suggest that some compounds present in the green pepper may cause this antimutagenic effect by interfering with the nitrosation process. The role of the extract and one of its components, such as vitamin C, in the nitrosation process will be discussed. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V