RT Journal Article
T1 Cytotoxicity and morphological effects induced by carvacrol and thymol on the human cell line Caco-2
A1 Llana Ruíz-Cabello, María
A1 Gutiérrez-Praena, Daniel
A1 Pichardo, Silvia
A1 Moreno, Francisco Javier
A1 Bermúdez, José María
A1 Aucejo, Susana
A1 Cameán, Ana María
K1 Carvacrol
K1 Thymol
K1 Caco-2 cell line
K1 Morphology
AB Essential oils used as additives in the food industry due to its flavour, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.Therefore, human can be exposed orally to these compounds through the ingestion of foods. In this sense, the present work aims to assess toxicological effects of oregano essential oil on the digestive tract.In concrete, the cytotoxic effects of two components of the oregano essential oils, carvacrol and thymol, and their mixture, on the intestinal cells line Caco-2 after 24 and 48 h of exposure are studied. The basal cytotoxicity endpoints assayed (total protein content, neutral red uptake and the tetrazolium salt reduction) and the annexin/propidium iodide staining indicated that carvacrol and the mixture carvacrol/thymol induced toxic effects. Moreover, a morphological study was performed in order to determine the ultrastructural cellular damages caused by these substances. The main morphological alterations were vacuolated cytoplasm, altered organelles and finally cell death. In addition, although no cytotoxic effects were recorded for thymol at any concentration and time of exposure, ultrastructural changes evidenced cellular damage such as lipid degeneration, mitochondrial damage, nucleolar segregation and apoptosis.
PB Elsevier
YR 2013
FD 2013-12-08
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10433/19745
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10433/19745
LA en
NO Cytotoxicity and morphological effects induced by carvacrol and thymol on the human cell line Caco-2. Llana-Ruiz-Cabello, M., Gutiérrez-Praena, D., Pichardo, S., Moreno, F.J., Bermúdez, J.M., Aucejo, S., Cameán, A.M. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 2014, 64, pp. 281–290
NO Area of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Seville
NO Area of Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Seville
NO Area of Packaging Materials and Systems, ITENE,
DS RIO
RD May 30, 2026