Riboflavin and its derivatives (1990)
Abstract
Riboflavin is a vitamin and is therefore essential in the human diet. The acute oral toxicity of riboflavin in rats and dogs was low but kidney failure occurred following a single intraperitoneal injection in rats. On repeated ingestion, sodium riboflavin-5'-phosphate may have caused changes in the electric activity of the brain in an epileptic subject. Mild liver changes were reported in rats fed riboflavin repeatedly. No adverse effects on reproduction or development were seen in two studies in which riboflavin was fed to rats but a third noted a reduction in the number of litters. When high doses were repeatedly ingested, riboflavin did not cause chromosome damage (micronuclei) in human mouth cells and there was no evidence of micronuclei induction in the bone marrow of mice treated orally or by injection. Riboflavin was not genotoxic in assays with yeast or bacteria (including Ames mutagenicity tests) but did produce chromosome damage in mammalian cells in culture and, when irradiated with UV light (which catalyses its decomposition), DNA-damage and DNA-binding were observed. Sodium riboflavin-5'-phosphate showed no mutagenic activity in Ames bacterial tests or in yeast, and did not cause chromosomal damage in mammalian cells in culture. Riboflavin-5'-phosphate gave no convincing evidence of mutagenic activity in an Ames bacterial assay.
Toxicity Profiles are comprehensive, yet concise, monographs on the hazard potential of individual chemicals. They are written by scientists specially trained in the evaluation of toxicity data and are prepared principally from primary information sources. To see the full list of nearly 500 Toxicity Profiles currently available, please click here. Profiles can be obtained by contacting our help desk (e-mail document@bibratoxadvice.co.uk) or by completing the enquiry form on the Contact Us page.
Copyright © 1990 BIBRA Information Services Ltd