Epidermal benzo[a]pyrene metabolism and DNA-binding in Balb/C mice: Inhibition by ellagic acid

1. Topical application of ellagic acid, a common plant phenol, to control or to 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC) pretreated Balb/C mice, resulted in significant inhibition of hepatic and epidermal microsomal aryl hydrogen hydroxylase activity, and of benzo[a]pyrene (BP) binding to epidermal and hepatic DNA in vivo. 2. In vitro addition of ellagic acid (0·25 mM) to epidermal microsomal incubation systems from either control or 3-MC-treated animals resulted in 62-75% inhibition of BP binding to calf thymus DNA. 3. These studies suggest that ellagic acid could prove useful in understanding and/or modulating polyaromatic hydrocarbon carcinogenesis.