8IN VIVO GENOTOXICITY STUDIES OF PRULIFLOXACINIn vivo genotoxicity of Prulifloxacin, a difluorinated antibacterial drug, was evaluated by employing mouse In vivo chromosomal aberration test in bone marrow cells. Mice (6-8 weeks) were segregated in to 10 groups (n=6) for time dependent study (12 and 24 hrs). Two groups of animals were injected distilled ,water intraperitoneally for use as vehicle control Another two groups were administered Cyclophosphamide (10mg/kg) and the remaining six groups of animals were administered Prulifloxacin (33.3, 66.6 and 133.3 mg/kg), two groups for each dose through the same route. Animals were sacrificed 12 and 24 h after treatment by cervical dislocation. Ninety minutes before sacrifice animals were injected 0.2 ml of Colchicine (4 mg/kg). Bone marrow was flushed in 0.056 % KCL, centrifuged for 10 min and fixed in cold fixative; flame dried and stained in 10% buffered Giemsa stain. Statistically significant increase in chromosomal aberrations, reduction in mitotic index and increased percentage of abnormal metaphase were observed at the highest dose (133.3 mg\kg) of the drug. This increase in percentage of damage was lesser than the positive control group while more than the control group. This result seems to indicate that Prulifloxacin is a weak c1astogen in the bone marrow cellsrajesh.paranjivasu@gmail.comResearch212012Genotoxixity,Prulifloxacin,Chromosomal aberrations and MitoticP.V. Rajesh, G. Dharmamoorthy,S. Sai Lavanya,K. Swaroopa Rani,A. Mubarak BashaSeven Hills College of Pharmacy, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. India.,Seven Hills College of Pharmacy, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. India.,Seven Hills College of Pharmacy, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. India.,Seven Hills College of Pharmacy, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. India.,Seven Hills College of Pharmacy, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. India.