Protective effects of microencapsulated Ocimum basilicum essential oil on Cisplatin-Induced hepatic Damage: Modulation of oxidative stress and liver enzymes

• Microencapsulated Ocimum basilicum essential oil (MLOB) was developed as a nutraceutical strategy to mitigate cisplatin-induced hepatotoxicity. • MLOB administration significantly improved hepatic function by reducing serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, AST, ALT, ALP, and total bilirubin levels (p ≤ 0.05). • MLOB enhanced hepatic antioxidant defense by upregulating SOD expression while suppressing pro-inflammatory mediators (iNOS and IFN-γ). • Microencapsulation markedly potentiated the hepatoprotective efficacy of basil essential oil against oxidative and inflammatory liver injury. Cisplatin (CP) is a widely utilized chemotherapeutic agent; however, its clinical effectiveness is often limited by dose-dependent hepatotoxicity, which arises from oxidative stress and inflammation. In contrast, bioactive compounds derived from medicinal plants exhibit promising hepatoprotective properties, demonstrating potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects with fewer side effects. This study explored the hepatoprotective potential of microcapsules loaded with Ocimum basilicum essential oil (MLOB) against cisplatin-induced liver injury in mice, specifically examining the modulation of oxidative stress and liver function biomarkers. In this investigation, twenty-four male Balb/c mice were randomly divided into four groups. The control group (T1) received a standard regimen, while the remaining three groups (T2, T3, and T4) were administered CP via intraperitoneal injections to induce hepatotoxicity. Group T2 received normal food, whereas groups T3 and T4 were treated with MLOB at concentrations of 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg, respectively. The results indicated that the synthesized microcapsules exhibited suitable particle size, polydispersity index, and zeta potential measurements of 349.3 nm, 0.65, and −31.6 mV, respectively. Administration of cisplatin led to a significant decrease in weight gain, along with elevated liver enzyme levels and oxidative stress markers, coupled with a dysregulation of hepatic antioxidant defense mechanisms such as CAT, SOD, and GPx. Conversely, treatment with MLOB notably mitigated cisplatin-induced hepatotoxicity, as evidenced by improvements in body weight, normalization of serum biochemical parameters, and enhancement of antioxidant enzyme activity. Furthermore, MLOB down-regulated the expression of iNOS and IFN-γ in the liver while up-regulating SOD expression. These findings underscore that microencapsulation significantly enhances the protective efficacy of O. basilicum essential oil, emphasizing its potential as a natural hepatoprotective strategy against liver damage induced by chemotherapy.