In vitro assessment of cytogenetic and oxidative effects of α-pinene

α-Pinene (α-pinene), a bicyclic monoterpene, is present in the oils of many species of coniferous trees, most notably the pine, and is known for its diverse biological properties such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative and antioxidant. However, there are limited data on the cytogenetic and antioxidant effects of α-pinene in cultured human blood cells (n = 5) for the first time. The purpose of this study was to investigate the genetic, oxidative, and cytotoxic effects of α-pinene in cultured human blood cells (n = 5) for the first time. Human blood cells were treated with α-pinene (0 to 200 mg/L) for 24 and 48 h, and then cytotoxicity was detected by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and (3-(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl) 2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) (MTT) assay, while DNA damage was also analyzed by micronucleus (MN) assay, chromosomal aberration (CA) assay and 8-oxo-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG). In addition, biochemical parameters (total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total oxidative stress (TOS)) were examined to determine oxidative effects. The results of LDH and MTT assays showed that α-pinene (at 200 mg/L) decreased cell viability. In our in vitro test systems, it was observed that α-pinene did not cause any statistically important changes in the rates of studied genotoxicity endpoints but dose-dependent alterations were observed in TAC and TOS levels. α-Pinene treatment caused increases in TAC levels (at 25 and 50 mg/L) and decreases in TOS levels (only at 200 mg/L) on human lymphocytes. In conclusion, the findings of the present study confirm for the first time that α-pinene could be a significant source of natural antioxidant compound that may have beneficial health effects.