Formation of DNA adducts by the hydroxyanthraquinone lucidin

Lucidin (1,3-dihydroxy-2-hydroxymethylanthraquinone) is the genotoxic principle of madder roots (Rubia tincterum L.). To investigate whether lucidin, indeed, ineracts covalently with DNA, we incubated the compound (200Myg/ml) for 3 hr with DNA or polydG *polydC and S9 mix and examined the reisolated nucleic acids by 32P-postlabelling. Similar adduct patterns, containing up to 5 spots, were obtained on PEI-cellulose tic with DNA or polydG *polydC. Formation of DNA adducts was also observed after treatment with lucidin (40 Myg/ml) of primary rat hepatocytes in culture. Finally, DNA adducts were detected in liver, kidney, duodenum and colon of male Parkes mice that had been treated orally for 4 days with lucidin (2mg/d), its glycoside lucidinprimeveroside (10mg/d) or Rubia TeephighR (1/2 tablet/d), a pharmaceutical preparation containing the two compounds. These results suggest that the therapeutic use of lucidin may constitute a carcinogenic risk. This work was supported by Deutsche Fors chungsgemeinschaft, Bonn.