[The effect of mutagen-depressive substances in vegetables on benzo(a)pyrene metabolism].

Dietary mutagenicity which was observed as the regional differences corresponded to those of the stomach cancer mortalities seemed to be epidemiologically determined by the food components of the diet, especially those of fresh vegetables. Experimental studies were made on the mutagen-depressive effects of vegetables based upon the preceding observation. The mutagen-depressive substance suggested to be a kind of unsaturated hydrocarbon by two successive treatments using column chromatographic methods. The metabolites of benzo(a)pyrene on rat liver microsome in vitro and stomach gavage in vivo were detected using high pressure liquid chromatography. Both of experiments showed that the active substance accelerated the formation of phenolic compounds and inhibited the formation of diols, thus decreasing the non-metabolites of benzo(a)pyrene.