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Thyme Oil Nanoemulsion Enhanced Cellular Antioxidant and Suppressed Inflammation in Mice Challenged by Cadmium-Induced Oxidative Stress

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Abstract

Cadmium is a poisonous trace element which induces oxidative stress and pollutes the environment. Nanoemulsions are recognized as a new drug delivery system with enhanced therapeutic efficacy. In the present study, nanoemulsion of Thymus vulgaris essential oil was prepared and characterized. The effects of the essential oil on body weight gain, liver mineral content, histopathology, lipid peroxidation, antioxidant- and inflammatory-related gene expressions were also investigated in mice challenged by cadmium-induced oxidative stress. Characterization of nanoemulsion (e.g., polydispersity index, particle size, and ζ-potential) indicated a good stability degree of T. vulgaris essential oil. Phytochemical analysis by GC–MS also demonstrated T. vulgaris essential oil contained phenolic compounds i.e., thymol, p-cymene, ɣ-teripinene, carvacrol, caryophyllene and linalool. The treatment of mice with T. vulgaris essential oil significantly (p < 0.05) improved body weight changes, reduced cadmium deposition in the liver and decreased lipid peroxidation compared to control group. Also, the antioxidative potential was enhanced whereas inflammation in the tissues were suppressed. The GPx gene was up regulated whereas iNOS genes were significantly (p < 0.05) downregulated in kidney, liver and brain tissues. Our findings suggest T.vulgaris essential oil can be a promising protective agent against cadmium-induced oxidative stress.

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Data Availability

The datasets applied during the current study are available on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

Authors are thankful to Islamic Azad University of Mashhad, Mashhad Branch and Arka Industrial Cluster for access to laboratory facilities.

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Author notes

  1. Fateme Rahmani, Sajed Nabi, Reza Baratpour Idliki, Masoumeh Alimirzaei, Seyed Mohammad Adel Barkhordar, Negin Shafaei are equally contributed to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran

    Fatemeh Rahmani, Sajed Nabi, Reza Baratpour Idliki, Masoumeh Alimirzaei, Seyed Mohammad Adel Barkhordar, Negin Shafaei & Ehsan Karimi

  2. Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, Sweden

    Mohsen Zareian

  3. Department of Research and Development, Arka Industrial Cluster, Mashhad, Iran

    Ehsan Oskoueian

Authors
  1. Fatemeh Rahmani
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  2. Sajed Nabi
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  3. Reza Baratpour Idliki
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  4. Masoumeh Alimirzaei
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Correspondence to Ehsan Karimi or Ehsan Oskoueian.

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Rahmani, F., Nabi, S., Idliki, R.B. et al. Thyme Oil Nanoemulsion Enhanced Cellular Antioxidant and Suppressed Inflammation in Mice Challenged by Cadmium-Induced Oxidative Stress. Waste Biomass Valor 13, 3139–3146 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-022-01738-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-022-01738-5

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