We have investigated cadmium and manganese genotoxic effects, and in particular micronucleus induction, on Saponaria officinalis is not a hyper accumulator plant then useful to study heavy metal`s phytotoxicity. Moreover it produces the enzyme saporin, a Ribosome Inactivating Proteins (RIPs) that might  be utilised as marker for metal-induced stress together with peroxidase activity variations.

Results indicate that Saponaria officinalis is a good candidate for biomonitoring heavy metal in the environment. Data from micronucleation assay show that DNA damage, induced by cadmium acetate, is present after short treatment (3 days), while manganese sulphate induces the same modifications only after ten days.

On the other hand enzymatic determinations of peroxidase and N-glycosidase activities on leaf extracts appear to be less sensitive and reliable tests to check and evaluate heavy metal stress.