Effect of Nigella sativa on glucose concentration, lipid peroxidation, anti-oxidant defence system and liver damage in experimentally-induced diabetic rabbits

• Published in: Journal of veterinary medicine. Series A Vol. 48; no. 10; p. 593
• Main Authors: Meral, I, Yener, Z, Kahraman, T, Mert, N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 01-12-2001
• Subjects: Animals; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Blood Chemical Analysis; Blood Glucose - analysis; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - drug therapy; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - metabolism; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - pathology; Glutathione - metabolism; Lipid Peroxidation - drug effects; Liver - drug effects; Liver - metabolism; Liver - pathology; Male; Plant Oils - pharmacology; Plant Oils - therapeutic use; Rabbits; Random Allocation; Seeds
• ISSN: 0931-184X
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1439-0442.2001.00393.x

This study was carried out to investigate whether Nigella sativa could decrease the lipid peroxidation, increase the anti-oxidant defence system and also prevent the lipid-peroxidation-induced liver damage in experimentally induced diabetic rabbits. Fifteen New Zealand male rabbits were divided into three experimental groups: control, diabetic and diabetic and N. sativa-treated. The diabetes mellitus (DMI) was induced in the rabbits using 150 mg/kg of 10% alloxan. The diabetic + N. sativa-treated group was given extract of N. sativa seeds orally every day for 2 months after induction of DM. At the end of the 2-month experiment, blood samples were collected to measure malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), ceruloplasmin and glucose concentration, and livers were harvested for histopathological analysis. Treatment with N. sativa decreased the elevated glucose and MDA concentrations, increased the lowered GSH and ceruloplasmin concentrations, and prevented lipid-peroxidation-induced liver damage in diabetic rabbits. It was concluded that N. sativa might be used in diabetic patients to prevent lipid peroxidation, increase anti-oxidant defence system activity and also prevent liver damage.