EFFECT OF CAPTOPRIL ON THE CYTOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL-CHANGES INDUCED BY ADRIAMYCIN

Captopril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, was evaluated for its antimutagenic potential. Male Swiss albino mice (6-8 wk old) were treated orally with different doses of captopril dissolved in water for 7 days. Some of the mice in each group were injected ip with adriamycin (ADM; 15 mg/kg body weight) and killed after 30 hr. Femoral cells of mice were collected and studied for reduction of micronuclei. Proteins, RNA and DNA were determined in hepatic cells. Captopril pretreatment was found to reduce ADM-induced micronuclei in polychromatic cells and increase the quantity of protein, RNA and DNA in hepatic cells. The inhibition of clastogenicity observed may be due to free-radical scavenging action of captopril.