Effect of long-term 50 Hz magnetic field exposure on the micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes of mice

In recent years extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-EMF) have become widely used in human activities, leading to an increased chance of exposure to ELF-EMF. There are few reports on in vivo mammalian genotoxic effects using micronucleus (MN) assays, which generally have been used as a short-term screening system. We analyzed the possible genotoxic effect induced by long-term exposure (7, 14, 21, 28?d) of a 50?Hz ELM-MF to mice by measuring the increase in frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocyte in their bone marrow (MNPCEs) and we compared it with that induced by 50?cGy of X-rays. Subsequently, we tried to reduce this chromosomal damage by administering four antioxidants substances with radioprotective capacities: dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), 6-n-propyl-2-thiouracil (PTU), grape-procyanidins (P) and citrus flavonoids extract (CE). The increase in micronucleated cells was higher in both physical treatments (Control?p?p?>?0.001)); however, the antioxidant substances only showed a genoprotective capacity against the damage induced by ionizing radiation (Ci?>?PTU?=?DMSO (p?P?=?CE (p?