In order to compare the suppressive effect of quercetin and its glycosides, such as quercitrin (quercetin-3-rhamnoside), isoquercitrin (quercetin-3-glucoside), hyperin (querceti n-3-galactoside)and rutin (quercetin-3-rhamnosyl glucoside), on the genotocicity by benzo(a)pyrene(B(a)P), in vitro sister chromatid exchange(SCE) test using mouse spleen lymphocytes and in vivo micronucleus test using mouse peripheral blood were performed. B(a)P-induced SCEs in vitro were slightly decreased by the simultaneous treatment of quercetin and its glycosides, although there was no significant decrease. On the other hand, MNU induced micronucleated reticulocytes(MNRL7s) in vivo were significantly decreased with a dose-dependent manner in all compounds tested. However, there were no differences between quercetin aglycone and glycosides in the suppressive effects under experimental condition of this study. To elucidate, the action mechanism of quercetin aglycone and its glycosides against B(a)P-induced genotoxicity, the assay of DNA binding with B(a)P was studied. Quercetin aglycone and its glycosides inhibited B(a)P metabolism in the presence of S-9 mix and decreased the B(a)P/DNA binding in the calf thymus DNA with S-9 mix. These results suggest that antigenotoxicity of quercetin antiglycosides on B(a)P-induced genotoxicity is due to decrease of DNA binding with B(a)P through the inhibition of metabolism with B(a)P in the calf thymus DNA. Therefore, quercetin and its glycosides may act as an antigenotoxicity agent and may be useful as a chemopreventive agent of polycyclic aromaic hydrocarbons like B(a)P.