ABSTRACT
Black seed [Nigella sativa L.] is one of the most revered medicinal plants which has been used to treat many diseases including hypercholesterolemia in some folk medicines. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of dietary supplementation with crushed black seed on serum lipid profile, body weight and food intake in hyperlipidemic rabbits. Twenty-four New Zealand male rabbits after 2 weeks of adaptation received a hypercholesterolemic diet with 0.5% cholesterol for 1 month. Then the rabbits were randomly assigned into two groups, the control group was continued on the 0.5% cholesterol diet and the black seed group received 7.5 g/kg bw/day crushed black seed along with the 0.5% cholesterol diet, for 2 months. The diets were isocaloric and isonitrogenous. Fasting blood sampling and measurement of body weight was carried out at baseline, after hyperlipidemia, 1 month and 2 months of treatment and the levels of serum lipid profile were determined. Daily food intake also was measured by subtracting the given food from its residues. The concentrations of serum TC, TG, LDL-C, TC/HDL-C and LDL.C/ HDL-C were significantly lower in black seed group as compared to the control group during the 2 months of treatment, but there was no significant difference in body weight and food intake between the two groups. According to these findings, dietary black seed favorably decreased serum lipid profile in hyperlipidemic rabbits; therefore, black seed may be used as a useful therapy for hyperlipidemia