1-Hydroxyanthraquinone is an anthraquinone that has been found inMorinda officinalisand has genotoxic and carcinogenic activities.^1,21-Hydroxyanthraquinone (5 and 500 µM) increases the percentage of isolated rat hepatocytes undergoing unscheduled DNA synthesis, indicating genotoxic activity.¹Dietary administration of 1-hydroxyanthraquinone (1%) induces formation of cecum and colon adenocarcinomas, as well as hepatocellular carcinomas, in rats.

1.Kawai, K., Mori, H., Sugie, S., et al.Genotoxicity in the hepatocyte/DNA repair test and toxicity to liver mitochondria of 1-hydroxyanthraquinone and several dihydroxyanthraquinonesCell Biol. Toxicol.2(4)457-467(1986) 2.Mori, H., Yoshimi, N., Iwata, H., et al.Carcinogenicity of naturally occurring 1-hydroxyanthraquinone in rats: Induction of large bowel, liver and stomach neoplasmsCarcinogenesis11(5)799-802(1990)