Mutagenicity assay in Salmonella for thirteen 2-substituted-1 H-phenanthro (9,10-d) imidazoles

Some 2-substituted-1 H-phenanthro [9,10-d] imidazole compounds synthesized as a predrugs were tested in mutagenicity assays in Salmonella strains TA97, TA98, and TA100 using a plate incorporation assay both with and without S9 mix. The 10 substances were mutagenic in TA97 and five of them were mutagenic only with metabolic activation, whereas one of them did not require the addition of S9. The eight substances were mutagenic in TA98 only with S9. For TA100, seven substances showed positive results both with and without S9, however another four required S9, whereas only one of them did not required metabolic activation. In summary, all of 13 substances derived from phenanthro [9,10-d] imidazole were found to be mutagenic for at least one or two of the three strains and their mutagenicity are discussed.