[ preventive effects of ethyl acetate fractions from aqueous and ethanolic extract of Nigella sativa L. seeds on calcium oxalate stones in Wistar rat]

Various pharmacological effects of Nigella sativa including; anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects, disruption of kidney stone, lowering serum lipids and repairment of kidney tissues after nephrotoxicity, have been reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the preventive action of ethyl acetate fractions of aqueous-ethanolic extract of Nigella sativa seeds on calcium oxalate kidney stones in male rats. 31 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups. All groups were studied during 28 days of experimental protocol. Healthy control group [1] received tap drinking water. Negative control group [2] received 1% ethylene glycol in drinking water. Groups 3 and 4 were treated with 1% ethylene glycol as well as ethyl acetate phase remnant and ethyl acetate fractions from aqueous and ethanolic extract of Nigella sativa L. seeds, respectively at equivalent dose of 250 mg/kg of total extract. Urine concentration of oxalate, citrate and calcium in days 0, 14 and 28, and also plasma concentration of magnesium and calcium in days 0 and 28, were measured. At the end of experiment, kidneys were removed for histopathologic study and examined for counting calcium oxalate deposits. Data were presented as Mean +/- SEM and were analyzed by one way ANOVA and subsequently Tukey tests; p value less than 0.05 [p<0.05] was considered significant. Results showed that the number of calcium oxalate crystals in group 2 vs. group 1 and 3 [without any crystals] significantly increased [p<0.001], but there was no significant difference between groups 2 and 4. Urine oxalate concentration in day 28 increased significantly in groups 2, 3 and 4 [p<0.05] in comparison with day 0, but urine calcium concentration in groups 3 and 4 at day 28 has no significant difference with day 0. The results of this study supported the inhibitory action of aqueous-ethanolic extract of Nigella sativa ethyl-acetate phase remnant on calcium oxalate kidney stones. However, ethyl acetate fraction of extract did not show a similar effect on kidney stones. Although the exact mechanism is not clear, but this action may be due to antioxidant, antilipid or anti-inflammatory properties of Nigella sativa seed. Therefore, Nigella sativa should be advised in treatment of human kidney stone disease

[ prevalence of hypercholesterolemia in middle-aged and elderly population in mashhad and its relation to hypothyroidism]

Both overt hypothyroidism [OH] and subclinical hypothyroidism [SH] have been reported to have side effects on body organs. Hypothyroidism can cause hypercholesterolemia, hyperlipidemia and diastolic hypertension, which are regarded as risk factors in development of coronary heart disease [CHD]; on the other hand, the hypercholesterolemia due to hypothyroidism can be easily treated with levothyroxine. This study was performed to determine the prevalence of hypothyroidism in hypercholesterolemic subjects in Mashhad. This descriptive study was performed in Mashhad City from May to Nowember 2002. A number of 4300 men and women aged 40 year or over in 97 different regions in Mashhad were interviewed and 2222 subjecs volenteerly encountered the study. A sample of 12-14 hr fasting blood was taken from volunteers and the total cholesterol [TC] was determined by enzymatic method [zist chime-Iran] for 2215 [758 men and 1457 women] subjects. Serum FT4 and TSH were determined by radio-immunoassay methods for 89 subjects with TC >/= 310 mg/dl and for 82 subjects with TC: 261-309 mg/dl. Individual and laboratory data were gathered in a questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics and frequency destribution tables and X[2] t-test. The results showed that 4.9% of men had TC >/= 310mg/dl, 11.9%, 42.2%, and 41% had TC concentrations of 261-309, 200-260, and <200 mg/dl, respectively. In women with the same TC concentrations were seen in 4.1%, 15.2%, 42.9%, and 37.7%, respectively. In total, 59.4% of men and 63% of women aged over 40 have TC> 200g/dl. Twelve out of 89 [13.5%] subjects with TC>310 mg/dl were hypothyroid; 6 with OH [4women and 2men] and 6 with SH [5women and 1man]. Hypothyroidism in women was more frequent than men and the female /male ratio was 3/1. The correlation between hypercholesterolemia and hypothyroidism at TC>322 mg/dl was significant [X [2]=4.01, df=1, P=0.045]. FT4 level in TC >/= 310mg/dl was 13.05 +/- 3.4, and in TC between 261-309 mg/dl 14.2 +/- 2.63; which was significant in the first group [t-test, p=0.024]. These data demonstrated that hypercholesterolemia is prevalent in mean-aged and elder people in Mashhad and hypothyroidism, especially. SH form, is also frequent in hypercholesterolemic subjects. Female to male ratio is about 3:1, but seemingly younger women in Mashhad are more affected than what is seen in other studies. Therefore, the screening of thyroid function in hypercholesterolemic subjects especially in women is recommended

[ effects of ethanolic extract of Nigella Sativa seeds on ethylene glycol induced kidney stones in rat]

The incidence of urinary stones is very high in population. Treatment of patients with kidney stones in primary stages can reduce the side effects and also may prevent the surgical operations and postoperative complications. Several effects have been reported for Nigella sativa seeds; they include: anti analgesic, anti inflammatory, lowering serum lipids, increasing glutathione in kidney and repairement of kidney tissues after nephrotoxicity. The aim of this study was to investigation the effects of the ethanolic extract of N. Sativa seeds on kidney stones in rat. Thirty two Wistar rats weighed 200_10g were randomly divided into 4 groups: Group an as intact control was received tap drinking water for thirty days. Group B [ethylene glycol control], groups C and D as experimental animals all were received 1% [v/v] ethylen glycol in drinking water for 30 days. Furthermore group C was also treated with 250 mg/kg B.W N. sativa ethanolic extract for 30 days, while group D was also treated with 250mg/kg B.W N. sativa extract from 14th day through the end of the experiment. Twenty four hour urine samples were collected on the 0,7th, 14th and 30th days of the study, when each animal was kept in a metabolic cage. After 30 days all rats were killed by guillotine and kidneys were removed and sections were prepared with routine histological techniques; slides were examined under light microscope to count calcium oxalate deposits. The results showed that the number of calcium oxalate deposits were significantly increased in group B vs. A [p<0.001]. The number of deposits in group C and D were significantly less than group B [p< 0.05]; while the number of calcium oxalate deposits in group C and D in comparison with group A were statistically insignificant. The calcium oxalate concentration in urine at the end of the study was increased significantly in group B vs. A [p<0.001] but decreased in group C [p<0.001] and D [p<0.05] when compared with group B. The result of this study demonstrated that treatment of rats with ethanolic extract of N. sativa has reduced the number of calcium oxalate deposits in both groups of treated animals. Therefore; it may have beneficial effects in treatment of urinary stones in patients

[Changes in mineral elements in kidney, liver, heart and skeletal muscle in hypothyroid rats]

Several studies have reported that thyroid dysfunction can induce changes in elements in different tissues both in experimental and human studies. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of hypothyroidism on mineral elements in rat kidney, heart, skeletal muscle and liver. In this study 24 rats aged 2-3 months with 190- 270 g B.W were randomly divided into case and control groups. Animals in the case group received methimazol powder [0.03%] in drinking water. After 4 weeks a sample of blood was taken from all animals for TT4 determination. When rats in case group were hypothyroid, the animals were treated for another 3 weeks. At the end of the 7[th] week the animals were decapitated and tissues were removed and kept at -20[°] C until elements were measured. The content of different elements was determined in kidney, liver, cardiac muscle and skeletal muscle by Proton Induced X-ray Emission [PIXE] method. S, Cl, K, Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn and P were determined as PPM for all tissues, the results were represented as Mean +/- SD and compared between hypothyroid and control groups by T- test. The differences were considered to be significant when p<0.05. The results are as follows: Kidney: the content of Fe and Cu in experimental group increased in kidney [p=0.03 and p=0.04 respectively], Liver: in this tissue, the content of Fe increased in the experimental group [p<0.05], Cardiac muscle: the content of Cl in the experimental group increased [p<0.04] in this tissue, Skeletal muscle: the content of Cl increased significantly in the experimental group [p<0.05]. These data demonstrate that hypothyroidism can change the content of several elements in the examined tissues, and these variations in part may be involved in several clinical manifestations which are present in hypothyroidism