engleski

Cytotoxic and mutagenic in vitro effect of the Satureja montana L. essential oils

The essential oils have been widely used as fragrances in cosmetics, as flavouring food additives, as scenting agents in a variety of household products, and as active ingredients in some old drugs. The genus Satureja (Lamiaceae) is represented in Croatia by nine species and among them Winter Savory (Satureja montana L.) is economically the most important. Essential oils from investigated species have several biological activities which include antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral effect. Volatile oils are very complex mixture of compounds. The biological activity is the result of the combined effects of both their active and inactive componds. Those molecules are formed in glandular cells by various pathways. A large number of oils have a moderate irritant risk, including the essential oils of S. montana. The genotoxicity data show that frequently used herbs may also be strongs mutagens and thus potential carcinogens. Genotoxic potental of investigated essential oils is unknow. The aim of the present study is the evaluation of cytotoxic and mutagenic effect of the essential oils extracted from Winter Savory. The volatile components of the investigated species have been analysed using GC and GC-MS. Essential oils of S. montana showed high content of carvacrol (45, 7%) and p-cymene (12, 6%). The in vitro genotoxicity of essential oils was assessed in short-term tests systems, in the Salmonella thyphimurium mutagenicity assay and oxidative mutagenesis with Escherichia coli. The essential oil of S. montana was not mutagenic in S. thyphimurium strains TA1535 and TA1537 but a weak response was observed in TA98 and TA100 tester strain both without and with metabolic activation (rat liver S9 mix). A negative control corresponding to solvent was also used. Cytotoxic effect is demonstrated by a reduction or elimination of the background lawn without metabolic activation in strains TA98 and TA100 at a concentration of 0, 4 % essential oils, but the effect was reduced when S9 was present. Screening of oxidative mutagenesis with Escherichia coli strains IC188 and IC 203 gave negative results.

essential oils; mutagens; carvacrol; p-cymene

Croatian Congress on Molecular Life Sciences with International Participation (1 ; 2002 ; Opatija)