Taurine Possesses In vitro Antimutagenic Activity Comparable to Major Antioxidants

Taurine is known to suppress oxidant-induced tissue injury by stabilizing biomembrane and scavanging free radicals. The purpose of this study was to determne the antioxidative and antimutabenic acitvities of taurine, ad to compare those acitivities with major antioxidants. For the measurement of antioxidative capacity, 0.05 , 0.1,0.5 and 1.0mg/ml of taurine, L-Ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol, and BHT (dibuty hydroxiy toluene)were prepared and tested for their ability to donate electrons to DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl). Antimutagenic acitivity was examined using the Ames salmonela test system at concentrations of 600, 900 and 1200ug/ml. Results indicated that taurine possesses electron-donating capacity, however, the degree of donation was very weak compared to the major antioxidants tested. However, taurine was evaluated as a potent mutation suppressor. Antimutagenic capacity was in increasing order BHT>taurine>L-ascorbic acid>alpha-tocopherol at concentrations of 600 and 900ug/ml. There was a dose-dependent increase in antimutabenicity of these compounds , however, antimutagenity of the 900ug taurie/plate was not significantly differently from that of 1200ug taurine/plate. These results indicate that taurine effectively suppresses the mutagenicity of AFB1 without noticeable elelctron donating ability.