Effect of Asafoetida (7-Hydroxycoumarin) on Mouse Spermatocytes

Abstract

Primary spermatocytes of mice respond to asafoetida by production of structural chromosomal aberrations. The effect is of the delayed type. Very high concen-trations of asafoetida do not result in a corresponding linear increase in aberration frequency. Spontaneously arisen polyploid cells in the animals used showed very few abnormalities as compared to the other cells. Females kept for mating with treated males failed to produce a progeny after the 15th dose to the male. Chro-mosomal damage by asafoetida may be due to 7-hydroxycoumarin present in its resin.