Inhibitory effect of propolis and bee venom on the mutagenicity of some direct- and indirect-acting mutagens.

The antimutagenic effect of ethanolic extract of propolis (EEP) and honeybee (Apis mellifera) venom, both collected in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, was assessed by the Salmonella/microsome assay upon direct- and indirect-acting mutagens. EEP had inhibitory effect (in an ascending order) on the mutagenicity power of daunomycin (TA102), benzo(a)pyrene (TA100), and aflatoxin B(1)(TA98) and the venom acted against the mutagenicity of 4-nitro-o-phenylenediamine (TA98) and daunomycin (TA102). Teratogenesis Carcinog. Mutagen. 19:403-413, 1999.