OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the effect of oral treatment of Wistar albino rats with different doses of Nigella sativa L. (NS) powdered seeds on the levels of serum lipids.

METHODS:

This study was performed in the Medical Science Application and Research Center of Dicle University, Diyarbakir, Turkey, from February 2003 to December 2008. A total of 75 Wistar albino male rats, 60 of them with NS supplementation and 15 animals acting as controls, were included in the study. The NS groups were divided into 4 main groups of 15 each. Four doses of NS were used (100, 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg/day). Each dose group was further divided into 3 duration subgroups of 5 rats each, the feeding of NS seeds continued for one, 2, and 4 weeks. Control animals were divided into 3 main groups of 5 rats each. The rats were sacrificed at one, 2, and 4 weeks after feeding. Lipid parameters were measured.

RESULTS:

Rats treated with the 400mg dose for one week's duration showed a significant increase in high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels. There was a significant decrease in low density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels after one week for 400 and 600 mg doses, and all doses after 2 weeks and 4 weeks for 200 and 600 mg doses when compared to control groups. There was a significant decrease in very low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels after one week for 200, 400, and 600 mg doses, and all doses for 2 and 4 weeks. A 400 mg dose for 2 weeks, and all doses for 4 weeks caused a significant decrease in triglyceride levels. There was a significant decrease of total cholesterol levels in all doses after 4 weeks of NS feeding.

CONCLUSION:

These results indicate that NS may ameliorate the alteration in the lipid levels caused by diseases or toxic agents.