Safety evaluation and antimutagenic activity of bamboo/wood vinegars collected at different temperatures

The biological action of bamboo/wood vinegars collected at different temperatures from the exit of chimney of earthen kiln was evaluated by Salmonella mutagenesis assay, as a safety evaluation (Ames test) and reverse mutation assay (antimutagenic activity). The compounds of the vinegars were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy analysis. The acid, phenol and ketone compounds of bamboo vinegars were 10.65-20.09%, 57.87-65.98% and 10.13-18.76%, and the compounds of wood vinegars were 4.27-14.51%, 50.23-65.03% and 12.93-25.26%, respectively. The vinegars' safety showed that neither cytotoxicity nor mutagenicity toward Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100 with S9 mix (an external metabolic activation system) at the diluting percent content of vinegars were lower than 20.00% or less, and without the S9 mix was at 33.33% or less. The vinegars at a diluting percent content below 20.00% expressed a dose-dependent inhibitory effect against both 4-mtroquinoline-N-oxide (NQNO), a direct mutagen, and the mutagenicity of aflatoxin B, (AFB,), an indirect mutagen which requires metabolic activation, in Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TAl 00. The inhibition of the vinegars against NQNO and AFB₁ toward TA100 was better than those toward TA98. In addition, the main percent of phenol and ketone compounds in the vinegars showed cytotoxicity/mutagenicity and an antimutagenic effect against the strains mentioned above, which may partially account for the biological action of bamboo/wood vinegars.