Aim: This study aimed to analyze the neuroprotective effect of Ocimum sanctum Linn. ethanolic extract (OSE) on human embryonic kidney-293 (HEK-293) cells as the in vitro model of neurodegenerative diseases.

Materials and Methods: In this research, HEK-293 cells divided into five groups consisting of normal and healthy cells (NT), cells treated with Camptothecin 500 μM as the negative control, cells treated with trimethyltin 10 μM (TMT), cells treated with OSE 75 μg/ml, and cells pre-treated with OSE 75 μg/ml then induced by TMT 10 μM (OSE+TMT). MTT assay and phase contrast microscopy were applied to observe the cell viability quantitatively and morphological after Ocimum sanctum Linn extract treatment. Finally, the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was employed to study the expression of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT).

Results: The MTT assay and phase contrast microscopy showed that OSE pre-treatment significantly increased the viability of TMT-induced apoptotic cells and maintained cell viability of the normal HEK-293 cells. Expression of ChAT markedly reduced on TMT treatment group, but OSE administration stabilized ChAT expression in TMT-induced HEK-293 cells.

Conclusion: This present study proved that OSE administration has neuroprotective effect by increased HEK-293 cells viability and maintain ChAT expression.

Keywords: choline acetyltransferase, human embryonic kidney-293, neurodegenerative diseases, Ocimum sanctum Linn. ethanolic extract.

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