[Comparative cytogenetic action of the antitumor antibiotics, carminomycin and rubomycin]

A comparative mutagenic effect of karminomycin and rubomycin in LD50 on the cells of the rat bone marrow (71 animals) was studied. It was found that karminomycin had a higher and more prolonged mutagenic effect than rubomycin. Both antibiotics induced mainly chromatin deletions and not so frequent reconstructions. They are probably identical with respect to their mechanism of action on chromosomes.