An assessment of the in vivo clastogenicity of erythrosine

In an investigation of the in vivo clastogenic potential of the food colouring erythrosine (ER), male B6C3F1 mice were treated by ip injection at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg, repeated 24 hr apart. Signs of toxicity were observed at the highest dose of ER administered. The three cytogenetic endpoints analysed were sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs), micronuclei in bone marrow polychromatic erythrocytes (PCEs), and micronuclei in peripheral blood reticulocytes (PBRs). SCE frequencies in PBLs were 4.13, 4.58, 4.33 and 4.60 SCE/cell at 0, 50, 100 and 200 mg ER/kg, respectively. At the same doses, the frequencies of micronucleated PCEs were 3.5, 3.2, 2.0 and 2.5/1000 PCEs. Micronuclei in PBRs ranged from 1.2 to 3.6 and from 1.4 to 3.0/1000 PBRs in control and treated mice, respectively. These results indicate that ER is inactive as a clastogen in mouse blood and marrow cells. This result supports the hypothesis of a non-genotoxic mechanism for ER carcinogenicity.