Mutagenic and genotoxic potential of direct electric current in Escherichia coli and Salmonella thyphimurium strains

Direct electric current has several therapeutic uses such as antibacterial and antiprotozoal action, tissues scarring and regeneration, as well as tumor treatment. This method has shown promising results in vivo and in vitro, with significant efficacy and almost no side effects. Considering lack of studies regarding direct electric current mutagenic and/or genotoxic effects, the present work evaluated both aspects by using five different bacterial experimental assays: survival of repair‐deficient mutants, Salmonella‐histidine reversion mutagenesis (Ames test), forward mutations to rifampicin resistance, phage reactivation, and lysogenic induction. In these experimental conditions, cells were submitted to an approach that allows evaluation of anodic, cathodic, and electro‐ionic effects generated by 2 mA of direct electric current, with doses ranging from 0.36 to 3.60 Coulombs. Our results showed these doses did not induce mutagenic or genotoxic effects. Bioelectromagnetics. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Source: Bioelectromagnetics - Category: Radiology Authors: Tags: Research Article Source Type: research