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Genotoxicity and carcinogenicity studies of benzodiazepines.

Brambilla G, Carrozzino R, Martelli A

Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV, 2, I-16132 Genoa, Italy.

This survey is a compendium of genotoxicity and carcinogenicity information of benzodiazepines and benzodiazepine analogues. Data from 51 drugs were collected; 41 of them are still in the market. Of the 51 drugs, 12 (23.5%) do not have retrievable genotoxicity or carcinogenicity data. The remaining 39 (76.5%) have at least one genotoxicity or carcinogenicity test result. Of these 39, 12 (30.8%) have at least one positive finding: 9 tested positive in at least one genotoxicity assay, 8 in at least one carcinogenicity assay, and 5 gave a positive result in both at least one genotoxicity assay and at least one carcinogenicity assay. In terms of correlation between results of the various genotoxicity assays and absence of carcinogenic activity in mice and/or rats or in other species, none of the 11 non-carcinogenic drugs tested positive in one of the various genotoxicity assay systems. Concerning the predictivity of genetic toxicology findings for the result(s) of long-term carcinogenesis assays, 18 drugs had both genotoxicity and carcinogenicity data; of these 11 (61.1%) were neither genotoxic nor carcinogenic, 2 (11.1%) were carcinogenic in at least one sex of mice or rats but tested negative in genotoxicity assays, and 5 (27.8%) gave a positive response in at least one genotoxicity assay and in at least one carcinogenicity assay. Only 8 (19.5%) of the 41 marketed benzodiazepines and benzodiazepine analogues had all data required by current guidelines for testing of pharmaceuticals.

Published 26 November 2007 in Pharmacol Res, 56(6): 443-58.
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