The synergistic effect of the combination of Ocimum basilicum and Ceratonia siliqua on inflammation and oxidative stress

Abstract

The use of basil and carob in traditional medicine to address inflammation and oxidative stress reflects a long-standing practice rooted in folk medicine. This study was conducted to demonstrate the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of a rosmarinic acid-rich extract of Ocimum basilicum (RAE) combined with a carob aqueous extract (CAE). Paw edema in rats and vascular permeability in mice were measured to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect. The assessment of lipoprotein oxidation was carried out by measuring thiobarbituric acid reactive substances as well as determining the scavenging activity towards lipoperoxyl radicals and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). The combination (200 mg/kg) significantly decreased carrageenan-induced rat paw edema and vascular permeability in mice (p<0.001), and these effects were comparable to those of the indomethacin drug (50 mg/kg). Moreover, the combination significantly prevented plasma lipoprotein oxidation and efficiently scavenged lipoperoxyl (IC50= 160 ± 11 μg/ml) and DPPH (IC50= 80 ± 4 μg/ml) radicals. The present study indicates the potential nutraceutical benefits of combining Basil and Carob in the treatment of inflammatory and oxidative stress-related diseases, which is correlated with the high contents of rosmarinic acid, phenolic acids, and fibres.