effect of dietary supplementation of nigella sativa seeds on some biochemical parameters in hypercholesterolemic rats

ABSTRACT

Nigella Sativa [N. sativa] has been extensively studied for its biological activities and therapeutic potential, the seeds of N. sativa are widely used in treatment of various diseases. Hyperlipidemia is associated with profound alterations in the plasma lipid and lipoprotein profile and with an increased risk of coronary heart disease. Therefore, this study was carried out to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation of nigella sativa seeds on lipid profile, liver function and CBCs in hypercholesterolemic Rats. The study carried out on 40 female albino rats divided to two groups [-ve] control fed on basal diet and hypercholesterolemic rats in 4 subgroups fed on hypercholosterolemic diet containing 5%, 10% and 15% of N. sativa seeds diets for 28 days, at the end of feeding trial feed intake, body weight gain, serum lipid profile, liver function, CBCs determined. The present study has identified, body weight gain decreased significantly [P<0.01] by 36%, 39%, 40.8%, and 42.6% in both [-fve] control, 5%, 10%, 15% N. sativa groups respectively as compared with [-ve] control group . Dietary supplementation of 10% and 15% N. sativa for hypercholesterolemic rats decreased significantly [P<0.001] and 5% N. sativa decreased significantly [P<0.05] the values of T. Lipids, total cholesterol, and VLDL-c as compared with [+ve] control group. The results revealed that the means values of AST in 5%, 10%, and 15% N. sativa groups decreased [by 3.8% at P<0.005, 4.1% at P<0.001, and 5.9% at P<0.001 respectively] as compared to [+ve] control group. RBCs increased significantly [by 19.2% at P<0.001] after the supplementation of 15% N. sativa when compared with [+ve] control group