Investigation of effects of essential oils of Cumin (cuminum cyminum) and Wild Thyme (thymbra spicata) on human lymphocyte chromosomes

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of essential oils of T.spicata and C. cyminum on human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Human peripheral blood lymphocyte cells were treated with 0.05μl/ml, 0.10μl/ml, 0.15μl/ml, 0.20μl/ml concentrations of essential oils of T.spicata and C. cyminum for 24 h. A significant increase was observed for induction of chromosomal aberration frequency in all treatments of essential oils of T.spicata and C. Cyminum concentrations for 24 h comparing with the negative control and mitomycin C (MMC, 0.3µg/ml) which was used as positive control. Chromatid and chromosome breaks, sister chromatid union, fragment and chromatid exchange were observed in all treatment concentrations. Essential oils of T.spicata and C. Cyminum decreased the mitotic index (MI) in all the concentrations and treatment times when compared with control and solvent control.  Our results suggest that essential oils of T.spicata and C. cyminum have clastogenic potential for human lymphocytes chromosomes in-vitro.

Keywords

• T.spicata, C. cyminum, mitomycin C (MMC), lymphocyte cultures, human chromosomes, chromosome aberrations, mitotic index

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