Cytotoxic Effects of Eugenol and α-Terpineol on the Rainbow Trout Gonadal Cells

Eugenol and α-terpineol are monoterpenes that are widely used in the food, medical and agricultural sectors and intensively studied. Although the areas of use of eugenol and α-terpineol have expanded, a few reports are noteworthy showing that they have cytotoxic effects depending on dose and time. Therefore, this present study purposed to research the cytotoxic effects of eugenol and α-terpineol on the rainbow trout gonadal (RTG-2) cells depending on dose (18.75-600 µM and 3.125-100 µM, respectively) and time (24 and 48 h). According to the sulforhodamine B (SRB) test, all doses of eugenol significantly enhanced the viability of RTG-2 cells relative to the control group after 24 h of treatment. At 48 h of treatment, except for the 18.75 µM treatment, other treatments significantly increase cell viability, but these increases in viability are lower than those in the 24-hour treatment. Treatments of α-terpineol (≥12.5 μM) had a highly toxic effect on the RTG-2 cells both 24 h and 48 h of treatment. Treatments of α-terpineol (6.25 μM and 3.125 μM) non-significantly enhanced the viability of RTG-2 cells relative to the control group for 24 and 48 h, respectively. Study results suggest that dose- and time-dependent toxicity studies of α-terpineol should be expanded to the molecular level.