The effects of prometryne on subchronically treated mice evaluated by SCGE assay.

Prometryne is a methylthio-s-triazine herbicide used to control annual broadleaf and grass weeds in many cultivated plants. Significant traces are documented in environment, mainly water, soil and plants used for human and domestic animal nutrition. Data on the toxic effects of prometryne and other methylthio-s-triazine have scorcely been published. The goal of this study was to investigate if prometryne, applied orally, could induce DNA damage in mouse leukocytes, in subchronical in vivo experimental design. Three different doses of prometryne were applied per os repeatedly every 48 hours. After the 7th dose (day 14) and the 14th dose (day 28) blood leucocytes were analyzed by alkaline Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis (Comet) assay. The results of three different comet parameters showed general increase in Olive tail moment, tail length and tail intensity values in treated groups of animals. The increase in measured values was almost proportional to the dose received and the time of exposure. We conclude that prometryne or its metabolic residues have the potential to induce processes that cause genotoxic effects on leukocytes on mice in in vivo repeated exposure.

Effect of s-triazine compounds on testosterone metabolism in the rat prostate.

The influence of s-triazine compounds (atrazine, prometryne and deethylatrazine) on testosterone conversion and 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone-receptor complex formation was studied in vitro and in vivo in the rat prostate. A marked in vitro influence of atrazine and prometryne (from 0.465 to 1.392 mumol) and their mixtures (in total concentration, 0.928 mumol) on 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone formation was detected. 5 alpha-Dihydrotestosterone-specific receptor complex formation was inhibited in vitro by ca. 0.5 mumol of atrazine or deethylatrazine and only in vivo by 6 mg of atrazine 100 g-1 body wt. daily during 7 days in the prostate cytosol. The inhibition of the enzymic activities responsible for testosterone conversion and steroid hormone-receptor complex formation was non-competitive and reversible, and s-triazine compounds act as antiandrogens.