Test of carcinogenicity of quercetin, a widely distributed mutagen in food.
The carcinogenicity of quercetin, a flavonol, was tested in six-week-old ddY mice of both sexes. Groups of 38 males and 35 females were given pellet diet containing 2% quercetin throughout their life span. As controls, 16 males and 15 females were given basal diet. Animals in both test and control groups developed leukemia and tumors of the lung, forestomach, mammary gland, adrenal, and soft part tissues. In addition, some animals in groups treated with quercetin developed tumors of the heart, liver, salivary gland, ovary, and uterus. The incidences of these tumors in test and control groups were not statistically different.