Shahad Alsunusi¹, Taha A. Kumosani², Etimad Huwait², Khalid O. Abulnaja², Soonham S. Yaghmoor², Said S. Moselhy³*

¹Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

²Experimental Biochemistry Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center and Production of Bio-products for Industrial Applications Research Group, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

³Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

 

*Corresponding author’s email: moselhy6@hotmail.com

Received: 16 August 2025 / Revised: 24 October 2025 / Accepted: 31 October 2025 / Published Online: 20 November 2025

 

Abstract

 

Herbicides are used worldwide for protection the crops from weeds, but they still pose health problems. We investigated the mechanism of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L) methanolic extract (OBLE) against neurotoxicity induced by malathion in rats through the modulation of neurotransmitters, redox changes, cytochrome c release, and apoptosis. This study included sixty male Sprague Dawley rats allocated into six equal groups: Group I, Control; Group II, rats given  malathion  dissolved  in DMSO at the LD50/10 dose (10 µg/kg b.w) orally for 4 weeks; Group III, rats given DMSO orally (0.1 ml/kg b.w) for 4 weeks; Group IV, normal rats treated with OBLE (100 mg/kg) for 4 weeks; Group V (Preventive group), rats administered  malathion   and OBLE orally (100 mg/kg) for 4 weeks; Group VI (treated group), rats administered  malathion   for 4 weeks followed by OBLE for another 4 weeks. The phenolic and flavonoid contents of OBLE were found to be 85 mg GAE /g and 82.65 mg catechin E/g, respectively. Rats given malathion showed a significant reduction in brain acetylcholine esterase (AchE) activity, levels of serotonin, noradrenaline, dopamine and elevation of GABA compared to normal rats. However, rats in the preventive or treated groups with OBLE exert a significant elevation in serotonin, dopamine, and NE levels and activation of AChE activity while GABA level decreased compared with untreated.  Malathion   induced brain tissue Cyt c release, reduced apoptosis markers (caspase 3 and 9) and increased mitochondrial membrane potential (marker of mitochondrial function). OBLE was found to reduce mitochondrial potential, enhance antioxidant activity, reduce the release of Cyt c, and enhanced caspase 3 and 9. The molecular docking analysis showed the potential interactions between the tested compounds target proteins and receptors is reflected by the binding free energies (G) (measured in kcal/mol), with a lower value indicating a more stable interaction. It was concluded that, the phenolic and flavonoid content of OBLE contributed to the neuroprotection against malathion induced neurotoxicity via neurotransmitters, redox status and apoptosis.

 

Keywords: Malathion, Neurotoxicity, Apoptosis, Redox status, Ocimum basilica  

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