Ž . Mutation Research 416 1998 11–19 Antimutagenic activity of carotenoids in green peppers against some nitroarenes Elvira Gonzalez de Mejıa, Jose Alfredo Quintanar-Hernandez, ´ ´ ´ ´ Guadalupe Loarca-Pina ) ˜ Research and Graduate Studies in Food Science, School of Chemistry, UniÕersidad Autonoma de Queretaro, Centro UniÕersitario, ´ ´ Cerro de las Campanas S r N, Queretaro, Qro. 76010, Mexico ´ Received 16 November 1997; revised 21 April 1998; accepted 21 April 1998 Abstract Ž . In Mexico, as well as in Central and South American countries, the consumption of peppers Capsicum annuum has been tradition for thousands of years; the per capita dietary intake of peppers is about 40 grday. Peppers are an important source of b-carotene and vitamin A, which have antimutagenic andror anticarcinogenic properties. In the present study, Salmonella typhimurium tester strain YG1024 in the plate-incorporation test was used to examine the antimutagenicity of Ž carotenoids extracted from five different types of Capsicum spp. ‘Chilaca’, ‘Poblano’, ‘Serrano’, ‘Jalapeno’ and ˜ . ‘Pimiento’ which were chosen, based on their consumption and availability on the local market. Extracts from these peppers Ž . Ž . Ž . were tested against 1-nitropyrene 1-NP ; 1,6-dinitropyrene 1,6-DNP and 1,8-dinitropyrene 1,8-DNP mutagenicity. Dose–response mutagenicity curves of 1-NP; 1,6-DNP and 1,8-DNP were obtained. For the antimutagenicity studies, doses of 0.05 mgrplate, 0.20 ngrplate and 0.06 ngrplate for 1-NP, 1,6-DNP and 1,8-DNP respectively were chosen, and the number of net revertantsrplate were 1008 for 1-NP, 512 for 1,6-DNP, and 712 for 1,8-DNP. Trans-b-carotene and the extracts were not toxic to the bacteria at the concentrations tested. The extracts obtained from the peppers showed more inhibition than pure trans-b-carotene on 1-NP; 1,6-DNP and 1,8-DNP mutagenicity. Chilaca pepper extract required 0.36 g Ž . 34 nmol expressed as trans-b-carotene equivalents of fresh pepper to inhibit 94% on 1-NP mutagenicity, 78% on 1,6-DNP Ž . Ž mutagenicity and 84% on 1,8-DNP mutagenicity. Bell pepper ‘Pimiento’ extract required 1.53 g 50 nmol expressed as . trans-b-carotene to obtain 87%, 79% and 73% inhibition on 1-NP; 1,6-DNP and 1,8-DNP mutagenicity respectively. Since pure b-carotene inhibited only approximately 50% the mutagenicity of nitroarenes, these results suggest that each one of the Ž . pepper extracts have more than one antimutagenic compound e.g., b-carotene and xanthophylls and those functional nutrients apparently have a synergistic effect. q 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Carotenoid; Nitroarene; Pepper; Mutagenicity; Salmonella typhimurium ) Corresponding author. Tel.: q52-42-15-68-67; Fax: q52-42- 15-68-67; E-mail: loarca@sunserver.uaq.mx 1. Introduction Diet has been implicated in the prevention or development of certain diseases such as cancer. Foods contain mutagens andror carcinogens, as well as 1383-5718r98r$19.00 q 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Ž . PII: S1383-5718 98 00070-9