Background: The growing concern for environment is usage of hazardous pesticides increasingly frequently. One systemic fungicide that is regarded as a persistent environmental pollutant is carbendazim (CBZ). Pharmacological activity of linalool has been shown to exhibit a range of characteristics, including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer effects.

Objectives: The current study designed for estimation of protective mechanism of linalool in CBZ-induced brain damage in rats.

Subjects and methods: This experimental study consisted of negative control, positive control, linalool (50 mg/kg), CBZ (500 mg/kg), combined CBZ linalool groups for 8 consecutive weeks. 35 rats were randomly allocated into G (I): Negative control group regular diet tap water. G (II): Positive control group: 1 ml corn oil (as a vehicle) once daily by oral gavage for 8 weeks. G (III): Linalool-treated group: linalool 50 mg/kg B.W. according to once daily by oral gavage for 8 weeks. G (IV): Carbendazim-treated group: 500 mg/kg B.W. of carbendazim (1/10 LD50) dissolved in 1ml corn oil once daily by oral gavage for 8 weeks (Oral LD50 of carbendazim in rats equal 5000 mg/kg). G (V): Carbendazim and linalool-treated group linalool 50 mg/kg then after 1 hour received carbendazim 500 mg/kg once daily by oral gavage for 8 weeks.

Results: Linalool co-treatment significantly improved CBZ-induced disturbance in brain level of acetylcholinesterase when compared to CBZ group. Also, linalool alleviated CBZ induced a decrease in SOD levels and an rise in levels of MDA in brain tissues.

Conclusion: linalool-mediated brain protection in CBZ-treated rats possessed antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.