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

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 Ever 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 (DM) 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 D-M. 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 Ever 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.