Table 4.
Mutagenicity of essential oils: Melissa officinalis L. (balm), Ocimum basilicum L. (basil), Hyssopus officinalis L. (hyssop), Lavandula angustifolia Mill. (lavender), Origanum vulgare L. (oregano), Salvia officinalis L. (sage), Thymus vulgaris L. (thyme). Data are expressed as number of his+ revertant colonies/plate (mean ± standard deviation -SD-) in strains S. typhimurium TA98 and TA100 in presence (+S9) and absence (-S9) of the metabolic activation.
| Essential oil | TA98 - S9 | TA100 - S9 | TA98+S9 | TA100 +S9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CFU/Plate ( ± SD) | CFU/Plate( ± SD) | CFU/Plate ( ± SD) | CFU/Plate ( ± SD) | |
| Balm 88 μg | 46.00(± 8.00)*** | 229.00(± 12.17) *** | 53.00(± 6.56) ** | 393.00(± 14.73) * |
| Balm 177 μg | 47.67(± 5.86) *** | 220.00(± 7.37) *** | 50.33(± 5.03) ** | 352.67(± 11.24) ** |
| Balm 442 μg | 40.33(± 8.39) *** | 175.00(± 29.82) *** | 58.67(± 7.77) ** | 378.33(± 17.56) ** |
| Basil 96 μg | 52.67(± 4.62) ** | 209.00(± 61.88) *** | 82.00(± 13.11) *** | 81.33(± 18.04) ** |
| Basil 192 μg | 42.67(± 13.61) *** | 217.00(± 27.87) *** | 62.67(± 20.03) *** | 83.00(± 8.19) ** |
| Basil 480 μg | 53.67(± 6.03) *** | 156.67(± 25.32) *** | 55.33(± 8.08) *** | 110.67(± 21.01) ** |
| Hyssop 93 μg | 26.67(± 6.66) *** | 256.33(± 22.59) *** | 40.67(± 2.52) *** | 357.00(± 24.02) ** |
| Hyssop 185 μg | 32.67(± 7.51) *** | 226.00(± 26.91) *** | 61.33(± 12.86) *** | 293.33(± 91.09) * |
| Hyssop 463 μg | 35.00(± 5.00) *** | 165.00(± 54.06) *** | 56.33(± 4.73) *** | 168.50(± 41.72) ** |
| Lavender 87 μg | 24.00(± 1.00) *** | 107.33(± 6.81) *** | 55.67(± 9.07) *** | 90.00(± 27.84) ** |
| Lavender 177 μg | 41.33(± 7.77) *** | 115.33(± 16.17) *** | 39.67(± 8.96) *** | 170.00(± 60.92) ** |
| Lavender 443 μg | 19.67(± 8.08) *** | 103.67(± 13.87) *** | 73.33(± 15.28) *** | 255.00(± 5.00) * |
| Oregano 93 μg | 30.33(± 4.73) *** | 170.00(± 43.59) *** | 74.00(± 4.00) *** | 277.00(± 12.12) *** |
| Oregano 187 μg | 41.33(± 7.23) *** | 174.00(± 48.99) *** | 77.33(± 11.37) *** | 342.00(± 92.37) * |
| Oregano 467 μg | 20.00(± 2.00) *** | 121.00(± 8.08) *** | 56.00(± 8.72) *** | 308.33(± 64.22) * |
| Sage 91 μg | 54.00(± 6.00 ) *** | 246.00(± 5.29) *** | 63.33(± 14.43) *** | 345.33(± 8.08) ** |
| Sage 183 μg | 45.33(± 2.52) *** | 250.00(± 9.17) *** | 45.00(± 7.55) *** | 310.00(± 14.14) * |
| Sage 457 μg | 50.33(± 4.73) *** | 203.00(± 20.82) *** | 64.67(± 5.03) *** | 310.33(± 26.84) ** |
| Thyme 93 μg | 48.33(± 7.77) *** | 212.00(± 13.86) *** | 55.00(± 4.36) *** | 292.33(± 10.69) *** |
| Thyme 185 μg | 30.33(± 6.81) *** | 193.00(± 12.22) *** | 60.33(± 8.14) | 368.67(± 10.26) ** |
| Thyme 463 μg | 25.67(± 1.15) *** | 214.00(± 22.50) *** | 47.00(± 3.61) | 353.33(± 5.77) ** |
| SR | 37.00(± 4.10) | 170.46(± 55.77) | 48.50(± 4.51) | 245.00(± 47.00) |
| PC | 555.33(± 389.39) | 1108.58(± 356.67) | 159.87(± 55.31) | 562.50(± 74.40) |
CFU: colony forming units; SR: spontaneous revertants used as negative control; PC: positive control, in presence of standard mutagen agents: for TA 98 (-S9), o-nitrofluorene (1 µg/plate); for TA100 (-S9), sodium azide (5 µg/plate); for TA98 (S9) and TA100 (S9), 2-aminoantracene (5 µg/plate); * p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01; *** p < 0.001 vs positive control.