ANTIMUTAGENIC ACTIVITY OF ALCOHOLIC EXTRACTS OF MEDICINAL HERBS MENTHA PIPERÍTA L. AND THYMUS VULGARIS L. FAMILY LAMIACEAE

The global pollution of environment urges the screening effective natural protectors for correc-tion toxic and genotoxic action xenobiotics. Medicinal herbs contain a complex biologically ac-tive compounds that are potential sources such protective agent. In current study mutagenic antimutagenic activity alcoholic extracts peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), family Lamiaceae, was studied using chromosome aberration assay (metaphase cytoge-netics) in barley. ability to significantly reduces methyl methanesulfonate-induced mu-tagenesis under preliminary or subsequent tinctures exposure established (p<0.05). modifying effect also rocket fuel unsymmetri-cal dimethylhydrazine (UDMH, 1,1-dimethylhydrazine) which possess activ-ity. Subsequent test-object treatment with UDMH decrease frequency induced aberrant cells number chromosomal aberrations case both mutagens, rate mutagenesis inhibition depended on order mutagen concentration. efficacy Mentha L. Thymus assessed reduction factor (RF) experiments exceeded 40% testifying MMS mutagenesis. Data obtained indicate ac-tivity conditioned presence active various nature.Key words: medicinal herbs, compounds, mutagenesis, activity, aberrations.