The genotoxic potential in vitro and in vivo of the allyl benzene etheric oils estragole, basil oil and trans-anethole.

Abstract

Estragole, trans-anethole and basil oil were tested for their ability to induce DNA repair in rat hepatocytes in vitro and in rat liver in an ex vivo test. There was a marked induction of UDS by estragole and basil oil in vitro (LOEC about 10(-5) mol/l). The basil oil we used contained about 88.2% estragole. It is evident from our results that the induction of UDS with basil oil could be directly related to its main constituent estragole. trans-Anethole was only slightly effective in the in vitro UDS test. The ex vivo UDS test led to clearly elevated DNA repair for estragole and basil oil in rats treated orally with doses up to 2 g/kg body weight. Estragole was not positive in a chromosomal aberration test with V79 cells either via direct treatment, with rat liver S9 mix or with rat hepatocytes as source of metabolism.

• Authors: L Müller, P Kasper, K Müller-Tegethoff, T Petr
• Journal: Mutation research (Mutat Res) Vol. 325 Issue 4 Pg. 129-36 (Dec 1994) ISSN: 0027-5107 [Print] Netherlands
• PMID: 7527904 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Allylbenzene Derivatives
• Anisoles
• Plant Oils
• estragole
• anethole
• basil oil

Topics

• Allylbenzene Derivatives
• Animals
• Anisoles (pharmacology)
• Chromosome Aberrations
• DNA Damage
• DNA Repair
• Liver (cytology, drug effects)
• Ocimum
• Plant Oils (pharmacology)
• Rats
• Rats, Wistar