Genotoxic Effect of Citronella Oil in Mice Mus Musculus

Citronella oil is a volatile oil obtained from the plant Cymbopogon winteratus.The oil contains approximately 30% citronella and 40% geranial.The therapeutic properties of citronella oil are antiseptic,diaphoretic,insecticidal, paracidal,deodorant,stimulatant and tonic etc.It is also used in cosmetic industry.Hence,human beings are in direct contact contact with citronella oil.Therefore,the present work was an attempt to evaluate the cytogenetic toxicity of this oil on mitotic chromosome,meiotic chromosome,sperm counting and sperm head morphology of mice Mus musculus.The result suggested that all three doses i.e 50 ppm,100 ppm and 200 ppm significantly increased the chromosomal abnormalities both in bone marrow and primary spermatocytes. Notable increase in the frequency of abnormal sperms as well as significant reduction in epididymal sperm count were also ovserved in treated mice. On the basis of above accounts it is clear that the test chemical i.e citronella oil is not fully safe. It may cause cytogenetic toxicity, mutgenicity as weel as carcinogenicity.