Antimutagenic Effect of Essential Oil of Sage (salvia Officinalis L.) and Its Fractions against Uv-induced Mutations in Bacterial and Yeast Cells

The inhibition of spontaneous and UV-induced mutations by essential oil (EO) of sage (Salvia officinalis L.) and its fractions F1-F5 containing different proportions of monoand sesquiterpenes was studied with the Salmonella/microsome, E. coli K12, and S. cerevisiae D7 reversion assays. The EO, F1, and F2 exhibited antimutagenic potential against UV-induced mutations in all tests. Fractions F3 and F4 produced a toxic, mutagenic, or antimutagenic response, depending on the test organism used. Reduction of spontaneous and UV-induced mutations by F5 was detected only in permeable strains of E. coli. The obtained results demonstrate antimutagenic activity of volatile sage terpenes and recommend them for further antimutagenesis and anticarcinogenesis studies. UDc 635.74:665.5:577.21