Early and late preventive effect of Nigella sativa on the bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats: An experimental study

Document Type : Original Research Article

Authors

1 Physiology Research Center of Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

2 Cardiovascular Research Center, Institute of Basic and Clinical Physiology Sciences, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

3 Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

4 Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kerman University of Medical Science, Kerman, Iran

5 Department of Pharmacy, Kerman University of Medical Science, Kerman, Iran

6 Herbal & Traditional Medicines Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

7 Neurogenic Inflammation Research Center and Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

8 Assistant Professor of Plant Protection, Departement of agriculture

Abstract

Objective: Pulmonary fibhrosis is a disease of the connective tissues in the respiratory system. Nigella sativa has been used for the treatment of pulmonary diseases like asthma. This study investigated the early and late preventive effect of methanolic extract of N. sativa on a bleomycin- induced pulmonary fibrosis model.
Materials and Methods: This study was carried out using 52 rats. Pulmonary fibrosis was induced by a single endotracheal injection of bleomycin (5 mg/kg). Extract of N. sativa (500 mg/kg per day) or methylprednisolone succinate (4 mg/kg per day) was injected intraperitoneally in two periods (i.e. days 1-14 as early preventive group and days 15-28 days as late preventive group). The lung tissues were histologically examined at the end of each period and inspected for the amount of hydroxyproline and biomarkers of oxidative stress.
Results: The pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis were significantly decreased in groups treated with methylprednisolone and N. sativa extract compared to bleomycin group in both early and late prevention groups (p<0.001). The hydroxyproline concentration in pulmonary tissue was significantly decreased in N. sativa and methylprednisolone groups compared to the bleomycin group in both prevention groups (p<0.001). Significant reductions in lipid peroxidation (p<0.001) and increases in catalase activity were also observed in N. sativa and methylprednisolone groups compared to bleomycin group.
Conclusion: This study suggested that N. Sativa extract is effective for early and late prevention of pulmonary fibrosis and inflammation. However, more studies are needed to identify its anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic mechanisms in the respiratory system.

Keywords

Main Subjects


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