Evaluation of the mutagenicity and antimutagenicity of extracts from oat, buckwheat and wheat bran in the Salmonella/microsome assay

This study examined the mutagenic and antimutagenic activities of the DMSO extracts from the oat, buckwheat and wheat bran, which are good sources of polyphenols with antioxidant and anticarcinogenic properties. Extracts from buckwheat and wheat bran showed no mutagenic activity. Oat extract showed slight mutagenic effect in Salmonella typhimurium TA102. The antimutagenic activities against direct-acting (3-(5-nitro-2-furyl)acrylic acid, 2-nitrofluorene, hydrogen peroxide) and indirect-acting (aflatoxin B1) mutagens were also investigated using Ames test with S. typhimurium TA98, TA100 and TA102. Cereal extracts exhibit concentration-dependent protective antigenotoxic activity against all used mutagens. The total phenolic content in studied cereal extracts expressed as gallic acid equivalent increases in the order: buckwheat < wheat bran < oat. Total flavonoid content expressed as rutin equivalent increases in the order: oat < wheat bran < buckwheat.