The significance of thymoquinone administration on liver toxicity of diazinon and cholinesterase activity; a recommendation for prophylaxis among individuals at risk

Abstract

Background Diazinon (DZN), a widely used chemical herbicide for controlling agricultural pests, is an important organophosphorus pesticide and an environmental pollutant which induces toxic effects on living organisms during long-term exposure. Thymoquinone (TQ) is a phytochemical bioactive compound with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. We aimed to evaluate the protective effects of TQ against DZN-induced hepatotoxicity through alleviating oxidative stress and enhancing cholinesterase (ChE) enzyme activity. Methods Rats were randomly divided into six groups (n = 8); a negative control group receiving corn oil; a group only receiving DZN (20 mg/kg/day); a group treated with TQ (10 mg/kg/day), and three treatment groups as TQ + DZN, receiving different doses of TQ (2.5, 5, and 10 mg/kg/day). All experimental animals were orally treated for 28 consecutive days. The levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and lactic acid dehydrogenase (LDH) were determined. In addition, ChE activity and histopathological changes were evaluated. Results The results showed that DZN decreased GSH level (p < 0.01) and SOD activity (p < 0.01) in parallel to an increase in MDA level (p < 0.01) and increased the activity of AST, ALT, ALP, and LDH (p < 0.01) in comparison to the negative control group. Our findings demonstrated that TQ administration could diminish hepatotoxicity and reduce oxidative damage in DZN-treated rats, which could be linked to its antioxidant and free radical scavenging properties. It was also observed that TQ 10 mg/kg remarkably increased the activity of acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, and SOD enzymes, elevated GSH, decreased MDA, and reduced pathological alternations of the liver induced by DZN. Conclusion Thymoquinone 10 mg/kg increased the activity of plasma and blood cholinesterases and reduced DZN-induced alternations of the liver. Improvement of butyryl- and acetylcholinesterase activity suggests that maybe TQ supplement could be beneficial as pre-exposure prophylaxis among farm workers spraying pesticides.

Black seed oil reverses chronic antibiotic-mediated depression and social behaviour deficits via modulation of hypothalamic mitochondrial-dependent markers and insulin expression

“…In addition to sleep, endocrine, and metabolic regulation the hypothalamus has also been implicated in the modulation of social, and affective behaviours including depression, and social interaction ( Neumann, 2008 , Sandi and Haller, 2015 , Wang et al, 2022 ). Our result further shows that NS oil decreased the AChE level potentially via the activity of thymoquinone, a potent antioxidant that scavenges and deactivates free radicals and helps in improving the AChE inhibition ( Danaei et al, 2022 ) ( Fig. 7 ).…”

“…7 ). It is also plausible that the hypothalamic structural integrity of cholinesterase is disrupted by reactive oxygen species (ROS) and free radicals produced by chronic antibiotic exposure, which would result in decreased enzyme activity ( Danaei et al, 2022 ). The main cholinesterase in the body, AChE, is crucial for controlling the central cholinergic systems.…”

Melittin as a safe compound to BALB/c mice immune system; a tiered approach immunotoxicity screening

“…Natural compounds have been used for their beneficial effects for human health throughout the world. One of which is their use for the treatment of various ailments and diseases due to their limited side effects [ 22 ]. Honey bee venom is a great example of such compounds, and its main constituent is called melittin.…”