Abstract: BACKGROUND ＆ AIM: To study the oxidative damage and genotoxicity induced by 3-chloro-4-(dichloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-2[5H]-furanone(MX) in mice, and to explore the possible mechanism of genotoxicity caused by MX. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Mice were divided into four groups including solvent control group and three MX-treated groups (11, 33, 100 mg/kg). Test substances were administered intraperitoneal (i.p.) and mice were sacrificed 3 hours after the treatment. DNA damage and malondialdehyde (MDA) in livers, kidneys and small intestines were examined using the alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE, comet assay) and test kit. RESULTS: It was observed that MX yielded significant increase in the DNA damage in small intestines of mice at all dosage and in liver and kidney of mice at higher dosage compared with the solvent control(P<0.01). The concentration of MDA in livers, kidneys and small intestines of mice in the highest MX-exposed groups were significantly higher than that in solvent control group (P<0.05). There was a significant correlation between MDA and Olive tail moment in liver, kidney and small intestines. CONCLUSION: MX could induce obvious DNA damage and oxidative stress in multiple organs of mice. The cell oxidative damage might be one of the primary mechanisms of genotoxicity of MX.

Key words: 3-chloro-4-(dichloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-2[5H]-furanone, oxidative damages, genotoxicity, malondialdehyde, single cell gel electrophoresis