Figure 1.

Assessment of the genetic damage indicator (GDI) in human PBMCs. The mean values of DNA damage, quantified as arbitrary units using the in vivo Comet assay, were determined in both the unchallenged and SN-challenged groups. (A) the unchallenged group and (B) the SN-challenged group. The ‘C’ designation corresponds to the control group treated exclusively with PBS. The designation ‘C Oo’ corresponds to the control solely treated with olive oil. The designations ‘C 0.2’, ‘C 0.5’, ‘C 1’, ‘C 2’, and ‘C 3’ correspond to olive oil treatment and the respective lemon essential oil concentrations (0.2: 0.2%, 0.5: 0.5%, 1: 1%, 2: 2% and 3: 3%). ‘SN’ signifies the group subjected solely to SN treatment. The designation ‘SN Oo’ corresponds to the SN treated exclusively with olive oil. The tested groups are distinguished by abbreviations denoting the constituent ingredient (LEO: lemon essential oil) and the respective lemon essential oil concentrations (0.2: 0.2%, 0.5: 0.5%, 1: 1%, 2: 2%, and 15: 15%). The single asterisk stands for significant differences between the olive oil treatment and LEO treatment of 0.2%. The double asterisk stands for significant differences between the olive oil and LEO treatments of 0.5%, 1%, 2% and 3%. The triple asterisk stands for significant differences between the control treatment and all LEO treatments. The error bars represent standard errors.