Cytogenotoxicity of Basil (Ocimum basilicum ‘Basilicão’) by Allium cepa Test under Saline Stress Induction

Abstract

Abstract Basil has aroused biological, pharmacological, agronomic and industrial interests, and stand out in the essential oil production. This study aimed to conduct cytogenetoxicity analysis through the Allium cepa L. test, of aqueous extracts and essential oil of basil (Ocimum basilicum L. “Basilicão”) grown under the conditions of presence or absence of induction to saline stress. The basil was grown in a greenhouse in two seasons, summer and winter, in which some of the plants received induction to saline stress (solution of electrical conductivity of 5 dSm-1) and the other part did not receive induction to saline stress (electric conductivity 1 dSm-1). With the collected plants, was prepare the aqueous extracts of the leaves (5 e 10 gL-1) and the extraction of essential oil of the leaves and inflorescences (0.10%) of basil, which were used for the cytogenetoxicity analysis by A. cepa test. Only the treatment with aqueous extract (5 gL-1) of basil grown under induction to saline stress and the treatment with aqueous extract (10 gL-1) of basil grown without induction to saline stress (both during the winter) are shown to have antiproliferative potential. As for the genotoxic potential, only the treatment with essential oil (0.10%) of plants which received induction to saline stress during the summer has that effect. The other treatments have not cytogenotoxic potential.

Keywords

• salinity
• antiproliferative potential
• aqueous extract
• essential oil
• genotoxic potential