Crude Egyptian rosemary essential oil and its encapsulated form protect rats from deoxynivalenol-induced oxidative damage by modulating genes involved in the intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways

Deoxynivalenol (DON), a mycotoxin, is extremely prevalent and causes severe oxidative damage. This study was conducted to synthesize and characterize Egyptian rosemary essential oil nanoemulsions (EREO-NEs), screen the bioactive compounds in EREO-NEs and the crude oil (EREO), and assess their protective efficacy against the oxidative damage of DON in rats. EREO-NEs were synthesized, characterized, and their chemical compositions evaluated by GC-MS. Six groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered orally for 3 weeks, including the control group, the DON-treated group (5 mg/kg b.w.), and the other groups that received EREO (100 mg/kg b.w.) or EREO-NEs (500 µg/kg b.w.) alone or in combination with DON. Tissues and blood samples were taken for different assays. The synthesized EREO-NEs had an average size of 83.86 nm and a zeta potential of −15.9 mV. The GC-MS identified 14 and 9 compounds that represent 95.93 % and 89.56 % of EREO and EREO-NEs, respectively. DON disturbed liver and kidney function, serum cytokines, tumor indices, oxidative indicators, hepatic mRNA expression of intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathway genes, and histological changes in the liver and kidney. Both EREO and EREO-NE mitigate these alterations, although EREO-NEs were more efficient. This study demonstrates that EREO-NEs are promising for the protection against DON via their antioxidant capacity and modulation of intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathway genes.