Therapeutic Potential of Ocimum basilicum in Diabetes and Malaria Co-morbidity: Evidence from Parasitemia, Biochemical, and Coagulation Outcomes in Mice

Diabetes and malaria are major morbidities that impair hepatic and renal functions. This study investigated the effects of the hydromethanol extract of Ocimum basilicum (OCB) on parasitemia, biochemical markers, and coagulation parameters in diabetic BALB/C mice infected with Plasmodium berghei. Fifty-six male mice were divided into eight groups (n=7): normal control, diabetes only, malaria only, diabetes + malaria, malaria + OCB, diabetes + OCB, diabetes + malaria + OCB, and diabetes + malaria + metformin. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin (40 mg/kg, i.p.) for 5 consecutive days, while Plasmodium berghei was inoculated in the malaria groups, and infection was confirmed by Giemsa-stained thin smears. Treatments consisted of OCB (100 mg/kg) or metformin (250 mg/kg) orally for 7 days; controls received phosphate-buffered saline. OCB significantly (p<0.05) reduced parasitemia in infected groups compared with untreated controls. In diabetic and malaria-induced mice, elevated fasting blood glucose, creatinine, and urea were markedly reduced by OCB, with decreases of 33.22%, 70.58%, and 26.32%, respectively, in the malaria + diabetes + OCB group relative to the untreated group. Serum alanine and aspartate aminotransferases were also lowered by OCB more effectively than metformin, indicating hepatoprotective activity. Coagulation profiles showed no significant differences in activated partial thromboplastin time and prothrombin time between OCB-treated and control groups, although prothrombin time decreased in the diabetes + OCB group. These findings demonstrate that O. basilicum possesses anti-plasmodial, antihyperglycemic, and organ-protective effects, highlighting its potential as a source of phytopharmaceutical agents for the treatment and management of malaria and diabetes.