The present work was conducted to evaluate the genotoxic effect of carbon tetrachloride (CCl) in mouse bone marrow and male germ cells. The safety and the modulating activity of sage (Salvia officinalis L.) essential oil (SEO) against the possible genotoxic effect of CCl were also evaluated. A combination of in vivo mutagenic endpoints was included: micronucleus (MN), apoptosis using dual acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) staining, comet assay, chromosomal aberrations (CAs), and sperm abnormalities. Histological examination of testis tissues was also studied. The extracted SEO was subjected to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for identifying its chemical constituents. Safety/genotoxicity of SEO was determined after two consecutive weeks (5 days/week) from oral treatment with different concentrations (0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 mL/kg). For assessing genotoxicity of CCl, both acute (once) and subacute i.p. treatment for 2 weeks (3 days/week) with the concentrations 1.2 mL/kg (for acute) and 0.8 mL/kg (for subacute) were performed. For evaluating the protective role of SEO, simultaneous treatment with SEO plus CCl was examined. In sperm abnormalities, mice were treated with the subject materials for five successive days and the samples were collected after 35 days from the beginning of treatment. Based on GC-MS findings, 22 components were identified in the chromatogram of SEO. The results demonstrated that the three concentrations of SEO were safe and non-genotoxic in all the tested endpoints. Negative results were also observed in bone marrow after acute and subacute treatment with CCl In contrast, CCl induced testicular DNA damage as evidenced by a significant increase of CAs in primary spermatocytes, sperm abnormalities, and histological distortion of testis. A remarkable reduction in these cells was observed in groups treated with SEO plus CCl especially with the two higher concentrations of SEO. In conclusion, SEO is safe and non-genotoxic under the tested conditions and can modulate genetic damage and histological alteration induced by CCl in the testes.

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Clary sage (Salvia sclarea L.), a member of the Lamiaceae family of aromatic plants, is used as a flavoring in the food, fragrance, and cosmetic industries. Egypt’s food and pharmaceutical industries require more natural resources, thus new crops have been introduced to meet the demand. In addition, various environmental conditions, such as water stress, influence aromatic plant growth and essential oil output. The microorganisms included in biofertilizers that have enzymes that solubilize minerals include plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs). Therefore, a field experiment was carried out to test how irrigation management, i.e., 100% of reference evapotranspiration (ETo) (full irrigation) or 50% ETo (water stress), can affect herbal yield, essential oil, and physiological aspects of clary sage, as well as how to improve clary sage plants utilizing biofertilizer in the field in Egypt’s Mediterranean climate zone. The main processes through which PGPRs aid clary sage plants in coping with water stress include increased macro and micronutrient concentrations (P, N, K, Ca, Mg, Zn, B, Mn, Cu, and Fe), dehydrogenase activity, essential oil, and physiological and growth traits of photosystem II (Fv/Fm), chlorophyll content (SPAD-value), plant’s health (normalized difference vegetation index, NDVI), shoot dry weight, and leaf area in clary plants. Application of different PGPRs reduced canopy temperature (CT), thus improving clary sage plants either under 100% ETo or 50% ETo. Consequently, the usage of PGPRs is appropriate for alleviating environmental stresses experienced by clary sage plants and has potential use in maintaining productivity in water stress and may thus be regarded as an important component of sustainable agricultural practices.