Currently, natural products are being used as a therapeutic alternative in the treatment and prevention of several diseases due to their low toxicity and relevant pharmacological potential. Thus, we can highlight basil (Ocimum basilicum L), one of the most used aromatic plants worldwide. Therefore, we provide some current evidence and insight into the potential therapeutic effect of basil essential oil to expand the available knowledge. A narrative review was carried out by searching electronic databases, providing a comprehensive analysis of the literature, where it was possible to identify existing problems and gaps to facilitate future research on basil essential oil. The available literature on basil essential oil presents us with several important pharmacological activities, such as: antioxidant, antiviral, antimicrobial, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic and diuretic properties, among others. However, further research must be carried out to increase knowledge about this plant with enormous potential and determine its effectiveness and use in clinical conditions.
Acetaminophen (N-acetyl-p-aminophenol, APAP) is the most popular drug recommended and consumed for relieving mild and moderate pain and fever. Although effective in therapeutic doses, APAP overdose induces hepatotoxicity, causing acute liver failure. In this study, the hepatoprotective effects and the underlying mechanisms of Lavandula officinalis essential oil (LEO) were investigated in APAP-induced hepatotoxicity. To evaluate the hepatoprotective effect, Balb /c mice were pretreated with LEO at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg, once daily for seven days. On the seventh day, mice were treated with APAP (250 mg/kg) to induce hepatotoxicity. LEO significantly decreased serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT) compared to the APAP group. Besides, a decrease in myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, nitric oxide (NO), and pro-inflammatory cytokines levels were observed in liver samples of the LEO treated mice. Moreover, pretreatment with LEO showed significant antioxidant activity by decreasing the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), carbonylated proteins, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and glutathione (GSH), in addition to increasing levels of the hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and oxidized glutathione (GSSG). Our results showed that LEO improved liver functions altered by APAP by inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammatory induced by APAP and other oxidative stress-mediated toxicities.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of trans-anethole in combination with methotrexate, compared to monotherapy with trans-anethole or methotrexate, on inflammatory parameters and oxidative stress of arthritic rats. The experimental model of arthritis induced by Freund's complete adjuvant (AIA) in rats was used. Treatment with trans-anethole and methotrexate, in combination or monotherapy, was started on the day of AIA induction and continued for 21 days. The association of anethole (62.5 mg/Kg) to methotrexate (6 mg/Kg) therapy was able to further reduce both the oxidative stress induced by arthritis and the inflammatory events that characterize the disease, as demonstrated by the following indicators: 1) decrease in the edema of the hind legs, in the score of secondary lesions, in the recruitment of leukocytes to the articular cavity and in the plasma myeloperoxidase activity; 2) increase in plasma content of reduced thiols and total antioxidant capacity; 3) diminution of protein carbonylation in plasma, liver and kidneys; 4) decrease in lipid peroxidation in the liver; 5) reduction in the hepatic ROS content; 6) enhancement of the activity of the antioxidant enzymes and GSH/GSSG ratio. In general, the combination anethole + methotrexate presented a substantially higher effect than the monotherapy with anethole or methotrexate (at the same doses). The data obtained in this work allow us to conclude that the use of trans-anethole in combination with methotrexate suppressed arthritic progression in rats, with the main advantage of reduction of methotrexate dose, attenuating adverse effects caused by high dose therapy.
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