The Mutagenic and Antimutagenic Activity of Lavandula angustifolia and Elettaria cardamomum Essential Oils in the Bacterial Reverse Mutation Assay

Background: Essential oils from Elettaria cordamomum (cardamom oil) and Lavandula angustifolia (Lavender oil) are used a lot in food and Drug Industry. Cardamom oil traditionally used as spice in food now is increasingly used as diuretic, sedative and for gastrointestinal disease. Lavender oil, traditionally used as an antiseptic agent, is now widely used as a relaxant, carminative, and sedative in aromatherapy. Objective: They both are used as flavouring additives in food and medical industry. It’s very important to know their mutagenic potential. Meanwhile, the growth of cancer disease and insufficient chemical treatments are among main reasons for the antimutagenic effect of essential oils to be assessed. Methods: In this study we investigated the mutagenic and antimutagenic activities of cardamom oil and lavender oil by the bacterial reverse mutation assay in salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100 strains with and without S9 (microsomal mutagenesis assay) for 7 dilutions of each essential oils. Results: The mutagenicity effects were not seen in all dilutions of each essential oils, and antimutagenicity effect was seen in 0.40 and more concentration (mg/plate) of Elettaria cordamomum by the bacterial reverse mutation assay in salmonella typhimurium TA98 strains without S9. Conclusion: Assessment of genotoxic potential and identification of mutagenic components of essential oils has been considered widely after their increasing consumption rate, in order to investigate possible new activities of herbal essential oils like antimutagnic effect possibly leading to new and safer products. Although the antimutagenic activity of lavender oil is an interesting finding, further studies are required to identify the components responsible for its antimutagenic action.