Miconazole genotoxicity in mice

The genotoxic effects of miconazole (MC) were studied in mouse bone‐marrow cells and primary spermatocytes at diakinesis metaphase I of meiosis. The ability of miconazole to induce chromosomal aberrations was investigated. Both acute and subacute treatments were tested. Doses were 0.1, 0.5 and 1 mg per animal. Both acute and subacute treatments induced statistically significant dose‐dependent chromosomal aberrations. The effect of miconazole on sperm head morphology was also studied in animals treated for five successive days with the three doses. Morphological sperm head abnormalities increased significantly after treatment with miconazole. The increase was dose‐dependent. These results suggests that miconazole has a genotoxic effect on mice somatic and germ cells. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.