The photodynamic effect of harmine and UV light was studied by measuring the number of sister-chromatid exchanges and micronuclei induced by this treatment in Allium cepa meristematic cells. A significant increase in the frequencies of both cytogenetic events was observed when proliferating cells were treated for 4 h with harmine followed by irradiation with UV light for 3 min.

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We studied the effectiveness of harmine as a substitute for 33258 Hoechst in the fluorescence-plus-Giemsa technique, using Allium cepa chromosomes after 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation. Harmine showed a photosensitizing capacity which was somewhat higher than 33258 Hoechst and used half of the time established for the usual treatment.