Nigella sativa protects against isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction by alleviating oxidative stress, biochemical alterations and histological damage

Objective To evaluate the cardioprotective effect of Nigella sativa L. (N. sativa) in isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction (MI). Methods Groups were treated with different doses of ethanol extract of N. sativa (EENS) and N. sativa oil alone and along with enalapril for 28 days. MI was induced by subcutaneous administration of isoproterenol (85 mg/kg) in two consecutive doses. Levels of cardiac biomarkers and antioxidant enzymes such as creatine kinase–N-acetyl-L-cysteine, lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, reduced glutathione and catalase were evaluated along with gross histopathological examination. Results Isoproterenol (85 mg/kg) induced MI by causing the significant (P < 0.01) reduction in the activity of cardiac biomarkers (creatine kinase–N-acetyl-L-cysteine, lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase) and antioxidant markers (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione) along with significant (P < 0.01) increase in the level of malondialdehyde. Furthermore, histopathological evaluation also confirmed the isoproterenol-induced MI. Pretreatment with EENS (800 mg/kg) and combination of EENS (800 mg/kg) with enalapril (1 mg/kg) significantly (P < 0.01) prevented the development of these alteration and restored activity of cardiac biomarkers as well as antioxidant markers almost near to normal levels. Histopathological evaluation of cardiac tissue further confirmed the restoration of biochemical activity. Conclusions Experimental findings thus indicate that EENS (800 mg/kg) demonstrated cardioprotective effect against isoproterenol-induced MI by restoring cardiac biomarkers and antioxidant status.

Comparison of complications of septal surgery with and without use of intra-nasal splints

To compare the adhesion formation and post-operative pain with and without intranasal splints in patients undergoing septal surgery with inferior turbinectomy. Comparative study. The study was carried out in CMH Rawalpindi from April2005 to Oct 2005. Total 60 patients undergoing septal surgery were randomly divided into two groups. In Group A intranasal splints [made from plastic infusion bottles] were placed with paraffin gauze packing and in Group B, paraffin gauze packing was done without intranasal splints. Follow-up was carried out at 48 hours and 01 week after surgery for assessment of pain scores, while adhesion formation was monitored for two months after surgery. Mean age of patients in Group A [with splints] was 26.43 years and of Group B [without splints] was 25.77 years. There was marked difference of pain scores at 48 hrs after surgery between two groups and difference was found highly significant [p value 0.001]. The p-value of pain score for data at one week was 0.022, still significantly different but lesser than the one at 48 hrs. Only two patients both without splints were found to have adhesions [p value 0.150]. It is concluded that intranasal splints increased post-operative pain significantly and there was no significant benefit in reducing the post-operative adhesion formation with splints