AIM: Nigella sativa L. (Ranunculaceae) is considered as a therapeutic plant-based medicine for liver damage. In this study, the aim was to study the effect of Nigella sativa oil (NSO) pretreatment on ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. METHOD: Rats were given Nigella sativa oil at doses of 2.5 and 5.0 mL·kg(-1), orally for 3 weeks, followed by oral ethanol (EtOH) administration (5 g·kg(-1)) every 12 h three times (binge model). RESULTS: Binge ethanol application caused significant increases in plasma transaminase activities and hepatic triglyceride and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. It decreased hepatic glutathione (GSH) levels, but did not change vitamins E and vitamin C levels and antioxidant enzyme activities. NSO (5.0 mL·kg(-1)) pretreatment significantly decreased plasma transaminase activities, hepatic MDA, and triglyceride levels together with amelioration in hepatic histopathological findings. CONCLUSION NSO pretreatment may be effective in protecting oxidative stress-induced hepatotoxicity after ethanol administration.
Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Ethanol ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Liver ; drug effects ; injuries ; metabolism ; Liver Diseases, Alcoholic ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; etiology ; metabolism ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Nigella sativa ; chemistry ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Plant Oils ; administration & dosage ; Protective Agents ; administration & dosage ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Transaminases ; blood