Basil and fennel compound may build up dangerous DNA damage in vulnerable people

MedicalXpress | يون 01, 2026

Methyleugenol is a component of essential oils and is found in basil, tarragon, nutmeg, and fennel. When ingested through food, it can be converted in the liver into a reactive form that induces chemical alterations in DNA. "These so-called methyleugenol-derived DNA adducts have already been detected in human liver tissue," explains Professor Dr. Jörg Fahrer from the Division of Food Chemistry and Toxicology at the RPTU University Kaiserslautern-Landau. Despite a known potential carcinogenic effect, it has so far been unclear whether and how these types of damage are repaired in human cells.