Department of Food Technology, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain.
Faculty of Pharmacy, Laboratory of Toxicology, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain.
Toxicol Mech Methods. 2021 Oct;31(8):559-565. doi: 10.1080/15376516.2021.1940408. Epub 2021 Jul 14.
Phenolic compounds carvacrol, thymol, eugenol, and vanillin are four of the most thoroughly investigated essential oil components given their relevant biological properties. These compounds are generally considered safe for consumption and have been used in a wide range of food and non-food applications. Significant biological properties, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic, or anti-carcinogenic activity, have been described for these components. They are versatile molecules with wide-ranging potential applications whose use may substantially increase in forthcoming years. However, some and studies, and several case reports, have indicated that carvacrol, thymol, and eugenol may have potential toxicological effects. Oxidative stress has been described as the main mechanism underlying their cytotoxic behavior, and mutagenic and genotoxic effects have been occasionally observed. studies show adverse effects after acute and prolonged carvacrol and thymol exposure in mice, rats, and rabbits, and eugenol has caused pulmonary and renal damage in exposed frogs. In humans, exposure to these three compounds may cause different adverse reactions, including skin irritation, inflammation, ulcer formation, dermatitis, or slow healing. Toxicological vanillin effects have been less reported, although reduced cell viability after exposure to high concentrations has been described. In this context, the possible risks deriving from increased exposure to these components for human health and the environment should be thoroughly revised.
酚类化合物香芹酚、百里香酚、丁香酚和香草醛是研究最为透彻的四种精油成分，因为它们具有相关的生物特性。这些化合物通常被认为可安全食用，并已广泛应用于食品和非食品领域。这些成分具有重要的生物特性，包括抗菌、抗氧化、镇痛、抗炎、抗突变或抗癌活性。它们是多功能分子，具有广泛的潜在应用，其用途可能在未来几年大幅增加。然而，一些 和 研究以及几份病例报告表明，香芹酚、百里香酚和丁香酚可能具有潜在的毒理学效应。氧化应激被描述为其细胞毒性行为的主要机制，偶尔观察到致突变和遗传毒性效应。 研究表明，在小鼠、大鼠和兔子中，急性和长期接触香芹酚和百里香酚会产生不良影响，而在暴露的青蛙中，丁香酚会导致肺部和肾脏损伤。在人类中，接触这三种化合物可能会引起不同的不良反应，包括皮肤刺激、炎症、溃疡形成、皮炎或愈合缓慢。香草醛的毒理学效应报道较少，但据描述，高浓度暴露后会降低细胞活力。在这种情况下，应该彻底审查这些成分对人类健康和环境可能带来的风险。
