Short Communication SACCHARIN DOES NOT BIND TO DNA OF LIVER OR BLADDER IN THE RAT

Introduction Saccharin was found to induce bladder tumours in male rats of the first and the second generation after life-long feeding of a diet containing 5% saccharin [1]. On the other band, with lower doses, and in epidemiological sturlies on the human consumption as sweetening agent there is no clear evidence for a carcinogenic activity despite the long and widespread use [ 2] . This controversy prompted us to investigate the interaction of saccharin with DNA in an intact mammalian organism. Most of the known chemical carcinogens undergo a covalent binding to DNA [3], and the resulting darnage can lead to a mutation. Saccharin has not been found to be mutagenic [ 4,5] and the present study shows that it does not undergo a covalent binding to DNA of the liver or the bladder of male rats either. The tumor induction is therefore probably due to a secondary darnage to the bladder.