July - September 2019, Volume 15, Issue 3

Altun E, Avci E, Yildirim T, Yildirim S

Protective Effect of Nigella Sativa Oil on Myocardium in Streptozotocin Induced Diabetic Rats

Acta Endo (Buc) 2019, 15 (3): 289-294
doi: 10.4183/aeb.2019.289

Background. To evaluate the protective effect of Nigella sativa oil (NSO) on the myocardium in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Materials and methods. Thirty-two 7–8-week-old female Wistar albino rats (300–350 g) were equally divided into 4 groups: nondiabetic untreated animals (control), diabetes mellitus (DM), NSO, and DM+NSO groups. For the induction of diabetes, 45 mg/kg streptozotocin was applied to the rats in the DM and DM+NSO groups as a single intraperitoneal dose. NSO (400 mg/kg) was orally administered through an intragastric catheter once a day over 21 days. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections of the myocardium were evaluated histopathologically and immunohistochemically. Results. Compared to the control, NSO, and DM+NSO groups, the myocardial tissue samples from the rats in the DM group had significantly higher myositis, hyaline degeneration, and Zenker’s necrosis. Moreover, the Bcl-2 expressions were significantly higher in the control, NSO, and DM+NSO groups than in the DM group. Conclusion. NSO has a protective effect on the myocardium of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, most likely via suppressing apoptosis.

Keywords: Nigella sativa oil, diabetes mellitus, Bcl-2, apoptosis, myocardium.

Correspondence: Eren Altun MD, Balikesir University, School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Balikesir, 10100, Turkey, E-mail: erenaltun@hotmail.com