Screening of Cytotoxic and Genotoxic Activities of Subcritical Water Extracts from R. damascena and R. alba Flowers

Regulatory changes in the EU for safety purposes require strict control and high safety standards for essential oils obtained by steam distillation, as they are classified as chemical mixtures with potential toxic effects. Subcritical water extracts (SWEs) are considered safer. This study evaluated the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of SWEs from <i>Rosa damascena</i> Mill. and <i>Rosa alba</i> L. in three test systems at different hierarchical levels: higher plants (root meristems of <i>Hordeum vulgare</i>), somatic cells of <i>Mus musculus</i> ICR strain, and human lymphocytes in vitro. The chromatographic fingerprint of the extracts revealed the presence of key components such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, and glycoside derivatives, with species-dependent variations and concentrations. No significant cytotoxicity was detected in the concentration range of 6-20%. SWE from <i>R. alba</i> showed a higher level of safety at high doses. Genotoxicity tests showed a weak, dose-dependent induction of chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei in barley and lymphocytes (greater in <i>R. alba</i>), a lack of genotoxicity in mouse bone marrow, and a slight increase in micronuclei in mouse erythrocytes after exposure to <i>R. alba</i> extract. The results highlight the suitability of SWEs from <i>R. damascena</i> and <i>R. alba</i> for safe application in the medical, food, and cosmetic industries.