Genetic Activity of Extracts of Genus Salvia Representatives

Abstract

DNA damage at the level of individual cells is assessed using the method of comet assay. This method allows detection of DNA damage caused by various factors, such as carcinogens, radiation and oxidative stress. In this study, we evaluated the genetic activity of ethanol extracts of four representatives of the Salvia genus using D. melanogaster as a model object. Larvae of the Canton-S laboratory strain were cultured on substrates with the addition of sage extracts (S. stepposa Des-Shost., S. verticillata L., S. tesquicola Klokov and Pobed., S. glutinosa L) under their concentration in the medium of 0.1% and 1%. According to the results obtained, all the studied sage species are not characterized by genotoxicity at a concentration of 0.1%. Under this concentration, S. glutinosa demonstrates antigenotoxic properties, reducing the level of DNA fragmentation relative to the control. When increasing the concentration of the extract in the nutrient substrate to 1%, two representatives of the Salvia genus – S. stepposa and S. verticillate – become to manifest genotoxic properties. Thus, the established concentrations of plant extracts of Salvia species are promising for further study in order to identify effective biological properties.