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Topic: Why Benzene is carcinogenic?  (Read 3854 times)

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Offline Taner

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Why Benzene is carcinogenic?
« on: April 09, 2012, 11:19:17 AM »
It is very stable molecule and not reactive. But why Benzene is carcinogenic like other aromatic rings?

Can we make any connection or group molecules for the health effects?

From Wikipedia
"Human exposure to benzene is a global health problem.[vague] Benzene targets liver, kidney, lung, heart and the brain and can cause DNA strand breaks, chromosomal damage, etc"

Offline discodermolide

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Re: Why Benzene is carcinogenic?
« Reply #1 on: April 09, 2012, 11:22:44 AM »
It is very stable molecule and not reactive. But why Benzene is carcinogenic like other aromatic rings?

Can we make any connection or group molecules for the health effects?

From Wikipedia
"Human exposure to benzene is a global health problem.[vague] Benzene targets liver, kidney, lung, heart and the brain and can cause DNA strand breaks, chromosomal damage, etc"


I think you just answered your own question:))
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Offline Taner

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Re: Why Benzene is carcinogenic?
« Reply #2 on: April 09, 2012, 11:49:28 AM »
NO not really  :)
It is part of the question.
It is a stable molecule and not reactive but why it causes to DNA strands break?

Offline discodermolide

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Re: Why Benzene is carcinogenic?
« Reply #3 on: April 09, 2012, 11:54:46 AM »
NO not really  :)
It is part of the question.
It is a stable molecule and not reactive but why it causes to DNA strands break?

Not sure, I'm not a biologist, but I would say that it intercalates between the DNA strands akin to other "flat" anti-tumor compounds such as vinblastine. Thus preventing replication. The interaction is probably due to the pi electron system. I can't say much more, perhaps some one else more knowledgable can assist?
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Offline fledarmus

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Re: Why Benzene is carcinogenic?
« Reply #4 on: April 09, 2012, 01:24:58 PM »
The mechanism for carcinogenicity, as far as I know, hasn't been specifically established. However, several researchers link it to the metabolism of benzene by CYP2E1, which produces benzene oxide, a highly reactive metabolite that seems to bind non-specifically to proteins. (This looks like a benzene ring with an epoxide across one of the single bonds). Toluene doesn't metabolize by this pathway - oxidation of toluene occurs on the easier oxidized pendant methyl group, producing benzyl alcohol which can be excreted by glucuronidation.

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