Elucidation of biological properties of some commercial anthraquinones: Mutagenic / antimutagenic and antimicrobial activity approaches

Anthraquinones (AQ) are the most common group of naturally occurring quinones. Both natural and synthetic AQs have been used as colorants in food, drugs and cosmetic industries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the mutagenic/antimutagenic potentials of some AQs (Alizarin, quinizarin, purpurin, and 1,8-dihydroxy anthraquinone) with Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100 strains by Ames test and antimicrobial activity by broth microdilution method. So, AQs were tested for their toxicity and nontoxic doses of the chemicals were used. The results manifested that none of the chemicals were mutagenic for TA98 and TA100 strains both with and without metabolic activation enzymes (S9 mix). Purpurin and alizarin exhibited strong antimutagenic effects against 4-nitrophenylendiameine and 2-aminoflourene at all test doses (1000, 500 and 250 μg/plate) for TA98; and against sodium azide and 2-aminoanthracene for TA100. Alizarin showed the highest inhibition rate (93%) against sodium azide at a concentration of 1000 μg/plate. While 1,8-dihydroxy anthraquinone and quinizarin revealed strong antimutagenicity at 10000 μg/plate without S9 mix, they exhibited excellent antimutagenic action after addition of S9 enzymes for TA98 strain at all test doses. Similarly, 1,8-dihydroxy anthraquinone and quinizarin were moderate antimutagenic against sodium azide at all test doses without S9 mix, their antimutagenicity increased and they ameliorated the mutagenic action of 2-aminoanthracene by the addition of S9 for TA100. These two chemicals were strong antimutagenic against promutagens activated by S9 mix. Also it was defined that purpurin and alizarin have antimicrobial capacity against MRSA strains.