A dichotomy between lipophilicity and in vivo and in vitro genotoxicity

An analysis of a number of data bases revealed a dichotomy between the lipophilicity of groups of agents capable of inducing genotoxicity in vitro and in vivo. Thus agents with the potential for reacting with cellular DNA, inducing mutations in Salmonella and clastogenicity in cultured cells were characteristically significantly more hydrophilic than agents which did not induce such effects. On the other hand, in vivo inducers of clastogenicity (micronuclei) were significantly more lipophilic than non-inducers. Cellular and systemic toxicants were also more lipophilic than non-toxicants.