Integrated in vivo and in silico evaluation of sweet basil oil as a protective agent against cisplatin-induced neurotoxicity in mice

Background Cisplatin is a wide-ranging antineoplastic drug. Neurotoxicity is one of cisplatin’s side effects that restrict its usage. This study aimed to investigate the possible protective properties of sweet basil oil against cisplatin-induced neurotoxicity in mice. A docking study was carried out to elucidate the fundamental mechanism of sweet basil oil’s ameliorative influence. Thirty male mice were allocated into three groups as follows: control group, cisplatin group (2.3 mg/kg), and sweet basil oil group (25 µl/kg basil oil + cisplatin 2.3 mg/kg). Cisplatin was given for five successive days, followed by five days of rest, for two cycles, while sweet basil oil was orally administered for 21 successive days. Results Our results revealed that sweet basil oil’s antioxidant activity ameliorated the oxidative stress induced by cisplatin in mice’s brains via lowering MDA levels and increasing CAT activity and Nrf 2 levels. Also, the anti-apoptotic activity of sweet basil oil was obvious via lowering the gene expression levels of Bid and caspase-3 but did not affect the serum level of P38 MAPK. Changes in acetylcholinesterase activity, serotonin and dopamine levels induced by cisplatin were significantly alleviated by sweet basil oil. Conclusion Sweet basil oil can be used as a food supplement to guard against cisplatin-induced neurotoxicity. Graphical abstract