Skip to main content
The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine logoLink to The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine
. 1983 Jan-Feb;56(1):9–13.

A bacterial mutagenicity study of rivanol, an acridine derivative used as an abortifacient.

M Wugmeister, W C Summers
PMCID: PMC2589568  PMID: 6410594

Abstract

We have used the forward mutation to resistance to 6 azauracil to test the mutagenicity of rivanol (6,9 diamino 2-ethoxy acridine) on Escherichia coli. Rivanol has been used to induce therapeutic abortions in midpregnancy and is considered safe and effective for this purpose. The findings reported here that rivanol, like other acridines, is a mutagen, at least in procaryotes, suggests that such use of rivanol be reconsidered in light of its possible genetic toxicity.

Full text

PDF
13

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Lewis B. V., Pybus A., Stilwell J. H. The oxytocic effect of acridine dyes and their use in terminating mid-trimester pregnancies. J Obstet Gynaecol Br Commonw. 1971 Sep;78(9):838–842. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1971.tb00349.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Löber G., Achtert G. On the complex formation of acridine dyes with DNA. VII. Dependence of the binding on the dye structure. Biopolymers. 1969;8(5):595–608. doi: 10.1002/bip.1969.360080504. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Manabe Y. Artificial abortion at midpregnancy by mechanical stimulation of the uterus. A review of 20 years' experience with current methods in Japan. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1969 Sep 1;105(1):132–146. doi: 10.1016/0002-9378(69)90172-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Manabe Y., Manabe A. Abortion during mid-pregnancy by rivanol-catheter supplemented with PGF2 alpha drip-infusion or quinine hydrocholoride. Contraception. 1981 Jun;23(6):621–628. doi: 10.1016/s0010-7824(81)80004-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. McCann J., Choi E., Yamasaki E., Ames B. N. Detection of carcinogens as mutagens in the Salmonella/microsome test: assay of 300 chemicals. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1975 Dec;72(12):5135–5139. doi: 10.1073/pnas.72.12.5135. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Rising T. J., Fromson J. M., McEwen J., Johnson P. Absorption studies with the anti-diarrhoeal agent ethacridine lactate in laboratory animals and man. Arzneimittelforschung. 1977;27(4):872–878. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Roth J. R. Frameshift mutations. Annu Rev Genet. 1974;8:319–346. doi: 10.1146/annurev.ge.08.120174.001535. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Wakelin L. P., Waring M. J. Kinetics of drug-DNA interaction. Dependence of the binding mechanism on structure of the ligand. J Mol Biol. 1980 Dec 5;144(2):183–214. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(80)90032-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine are provided here courtesy of Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine

RESOURCES