experimentally established to a large extent in this
investigation, but unfortunately authors did not
provide any numerical data on the toxicity of the
essential oils rich in citral which they used in high
concentrations on human skin (Franchomme et al.,
1996; Baudoux, 2002; Nakamura et al., 2003). Citral in
vitro cytotoxicity was established on leukemia cells
(Dubey et al., 1997b). Apart from its inherent toxicity,
some authors have reported that citral, a mixture of
both geranial and neral stereoisomers, had a significant
ability to suppress oxidative stress possibly through
induction of the endogenous antioxidant glutathione
system, providing a new insight into skin cancer
(Nakamura et al., 2003). Besides, geraniol, as one of the
main constituents of the nardus sample tested here, did
not show any cytotoxicity. But it could probably
expressed its potential as a cytoprotector or as an
antioxidant in subsequent oxidative stress assays.