Genotoxicity Study of Sophoricoside, a Constituent of Sophora japonica, in Bacterial and Mammalian Cell System

Sophoricoside was isolated as the inhibitor of IL-5 bioactivity from Sophora japonica (Leguminosae). It has been reported to has an anti-inflammatory effect on rat paw edema model. To develope as an anti-allergic drug, genotoxicity of sophoricoside was investigated in bacterial and mammalian cell system such as Ames bacterial reversion test, chromosomal aberration assay and single cell gel electrophoresis (Comet) assay. As results, in the range of 1,250~40 $\mu\textrm{g}$/plate sophoricoside concentrations was not shown significant mutagenic effects in Salmonella typhimurium TA 98, TA 100, TA 1535 and TA 1537 strains in Ames test. The 80% cell growth inhibition concentration (IC/SUB 80/) of sophoricoside was determined as above 5,000 $\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ in Chinese hamster lung (CHL) fibroblast cell and L5178Y mouse lymphoma cell line for the chromosomal aberration and comet assay, respectively. Sophoricoside was not induced chromosomal aberration in CHL fibroblast cell at concentrations of 700, 350 and 175 $\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ or 600, 300 and 150 $\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ in the absence or presence of S-9 metabolic activation system, respectively. Also, in the comet assay, the induction of DNA damage was not observed in L5178Y mouse lymphoma cell line both in the absence or presence of S-9 metabolic activation system. From these results, no genotoxic effects of sophoricoside were observed in bacterial and mammalian cell systems used in these experiments.