Abstract
•The deltamethrin exposure induced brain and kidney biochemical perturbation.•The deltamethrin exposure induced brain and kidney oxidative stress.•The deltamethrin exposure induced brain and kidney histopathological degeneration.•Artemisia campestris essential oil alleviated the adverse effects induced by deltamethrin.
Artemisia campestris (Asteraceae) is widely used in traditional medicine in Southern Tunisia as a decoction for its antivenom, anti-inflammatory, antirheumatic, and antimicrobial activities. A. campestris essential oil (ACEO) was obtained by hydrodistillation from the aerial parts, since it has beneficial and therapeutic effects. Deltamethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid with broad spectrum activities against acaricides and insects and widely used for veterinary and agricultural purposes. Exposure to deltamethrin leads to nephrotoxic and neurotoxic side effects for human and many species including birds and fish. The present study was conducted to investigate the potential nephroprotective, neuroprotective and antioxidant effects of ACEO against sub-acute deltamethrin toxicity in male rats. Deltamethrin intoxicated rats revealed a significant increase in serum kidney and brain indicators as well as creatinin, urea and uric acid levels, and AChE activity as compared to control rats. In addition, kidney and brain lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were altered significantly in deltamethrin treated rats. These biochemical disturbances were confirmed by histological and histomorphometric changes in brain and kidney tissues. However, ACEO normalized the altered serum levels of creatinin, urea, uric acid, and AChE. Moreover, ACEO reduced deltamethrin-induced lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress profile. Furtheremore, it reduced deltamethrin-induced histopathology and histomorphometric degeneration. It can be concluded that the protective effect of ACEO may be attributed to its antioxidant properties.