The Anti-Genotoxic Effect of Taurine on Aluminum Sulphate-Induced DNA Damage in Human Peripheral Lymphocytes

Aluminum sulphate Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3 is commonly used as a coagulant in the purification of drinking water in many regions of the world. Aluminum (Al) is also involved in several pharmaceutical and cosmetic products. However, Al is suspected to cause serious disorders such as Alzheimer's by oxidative DNA damage. On the other hand, taurine (TA) is an amino acid found in mammalian tissues and it has been suggested to play a role in the defense against cellular damage. The objective of this study was to determine whether the supplemetation of a natural antioxidant, TA conferred the protection against Al exposure in human blood cultures. For this aim, sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and micronucleus (MN) rates were assessed. Present results showed that 10 μg/ml of Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3 has no effect on SCE and MN rates, but 20 μg/ml of this compound increased the rates of SCEs and MN. Besides, the TA at all studied concentrations (25, 50 and 100 μg/ml) did not alter the mean SCE and MN values as compared to controls. Moreover, the negative cytogenetic alterations induced by Al could be significantly ( P<0.05 ) reduced by the application of TA. This study reveals for the first time the ameliorative role of TA against Al-induced DNA damage in vitro .