Mutagenicity of quercetin in Chinese hamster lung cells in culture

Quercetin, a flavonol that is widely distributed in edible plants, was assayed for cytotoxic and mutagenic activities on Chinese hamster lung cells in culture, using diphtheria toxin resistance as a selective marker. Results showed that it was cytotoxic, and induced a dose-dependent increase in the number of diphtheria-toxin-resistant mutants in the absence of a metabolic activation system.