Freshly crushed black seeds showed good protective effect during tumour induction and radiotherapy in rats

ABSTRACT

The present study was conducted to evaluate the potency of Nigella sativa freshly crushed seeds [0.42 g/kg body weight] or oil [2.5 ml/kg body weight] for preventing tumor induction through exposure of rats to a common pollutant [1, 4- Dioxane] as a tumor promoter under condition of the presence of an initiator [N-nitrosodiethylamine]. The antitumor effect was evaluated alone or in combination with low doses of irradiation as a route of cancer treatment. Female Swiss albino rats were administered orally twice weekly with Nigella sativa before and during exposure of rats to the carcinogenic compounds. Animals were exposed to 3 doses of radiation [3 Gy/dose] day after day 2 weeks before the end of the experiment. The animals were sacrificed after one week of radiation. Homocysteine, glutathione, lipid peroxide, GammaGT activity, and albumin levels were estimated in blood after 7 and 12 months from the start of the experiment. Rats injected with the carcinogenic compounds showed marked elevation in homocysteine, GammaGT activity, and lipid peroxide levels accompanied by a significant decrease in glutathione, and albumin levels. Pretreatment with Nigella sativa alone or combined with Gamma-irradiation potentially reversed the investigated parameters. Freshly crushed seeds gave more pronounced protection than the oil extract. it is advisable to use freshly crushed seeds of Nigella sativa during irradiation treatment in cancer patients