Studies on the Genotoxic Properties of Essential Oils with Bacillus subtilis rec-Assay and Salmonella/Microsome Reversion Assay

F. Zani; G. Massimo; S. Benvenuti; A. Bianchi; A. Albasini; M. Melegari; G. Vampa; A. Bellotti; P. Mazza

doi:10.1055/s-2006-960081

Planta Med 1991; 57(3): 237-241
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-960081

Papers

Studies on the Genotoxic Properties of Essential Oils with Bacillus subtilis rec-Assay and Salmonella/Microsome Reversion Assay

F. Zani¹ , G. Massimo¹ , S. Benvenuti² , A. Bianchi³ , A. Albasini² , M. Melegari² , G. Vampa² , A. Bellotti¹ , P. Mazza¹

¹Istituto di Tecnica Farmaceutica, Facoltà di Farmacia, Università di Parma, Via M. D'Azeglio 85, I-43100 Parma, Italy
²Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università di Modena, I-41100 Modena, Italy
³Istituto di Botanica, Università di Parma, I-43100 Parma, Italy

Abstract

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Abstract

Genotoxic properties of essential oils from Anthemis nobilis L., Artemisia dracunculus L.,Salvia officinalis L, Salvia sclareaL., Satureja hortensis L., Satureja montana L., Thymus capitatus L., Thymus citriodorus Schreb., Thymus vulgaris L., Citrus bergamia Risso, were studied with Bacillus subtilis rec-assay and Salmonella/microsome reversion assay. The essential oil of Artemisia dracunculus L. “Piemontese” turned out to be active in the rec-assay but not in the Salmonella test. DNA-damaging activity was demonstrated to be due to the estragol component of the oil. Advantages of the combined use of these two short-term microbial assays in genotoxic studies are discussed.

Key words

Essential oil - Bacillus subtilis rec-assay - Salmonella/microsome reversion assay - DNA-damaging activity - microbial assays - genotoxicity

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