Abstract: To understand the toxicological role of sulfite on multiple or even all organs in humans and animals, the damage effects of sulfite on DNA in the cells of various organs (brain, heart, lung, stomach, liver, spleen, kidney, thymus and marrow) from male mice were studied. Using the single cell electrophoresis technique (SCGE, Comet test), 3 groups of 6 mice each received an intraperitoneal (ip) dose of sulfite (125, 250, 500mg/kg body weight, respectively.) per day for 7 days, one negative control group of 6 mice each received ip 200μ l of saline. The results showed that sulfite caused significant increase of tail lengths of nuclear DNA of cells in all organs tested of mice from the SO2-exposed groups in a dose-dependent manner. Combined analysis of these experimental results mentioned, in conclusion that sulfite could cause DNA damage to multiple organs of mice, and become a systemic DNA damaging agent and also a systemic toxic agent, not only to respiratory system.

Key words: sulfite sodium, DNA, organs, mice, comet test