Semicarbazide is not genotoxic in the flow cytometry-based micronucleus assay in vivo

Semicarbazide was tested for genotoxicity. In this study, we present results from the flow cytometer-based micronucleus assay in peripheral blood of mice. Male CBA and Balb/C mice were intraperitoneally (i.p.) injected with semicarbazide (hydrochloride). The doses were: 0, 40, 80, 120 mg/kg body weight. Blood samples were collected and the frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes, fMPCE, and the cell proliferation, %PCE, was determined. In order to further increase the sensitivity of the test for agents with an aneugenic property, also the fMPCE restricted to micronuclei containing a high mean DNA content, was measured. Neither of the different analyses disclosed any adverse effect in either of the two mouse strains.