Study on Cytotoxic and Genotoxic Potential of Bulgarian Mill. and L. Hydrosols- and .

The L. and Mill. growing in Bulgaria are known for their extremely fine essential oil and valuable hydrosols. Irrespectively of its wide use in human life, little research exists on the cytotoxic and genotoxic activity of the hydrosols. This set our goal to conduct cytogenetic analyses to study these effects. A complex of classical cytogenetic methods was applied in three types of experimental test systems-higher plant , ICR mice , and human lymphocytes . Mitotic index, PCE/(PCE + NCE) ratio, and nuclear division index were used as endpoints for cytotoxicity and for genotoxicity-induction of chromosome aberrations and micronuclei. Rose hydrosol treatments range in concentrations from 6% to 20%. It was obtained that both hydrosols did not show considerable cytotoxic and genotoxic effects. These effects depend on the type of the tested rose hydrosols, the concentrations applied in the experiments, and the sensitivity and specificity of the test systems used. Human lymphocytes were the most sensitive to hydrosols, followed by higher plant and animal cells. Chromosomal aberrations and micronucleus assays suggested that and hydrosols at applied concentrations possess low genotoxic risk. Due to the overall low values in terms of cytotoxic and/or genotoxic effects in all test systems, hydrosols are promising for further use in various areas of human life.