In Vivo Radioprotective Effects of Nigella sativa L Oil and Reduced Glutathione Against Irradiation-Induced Oxidative Injury and Number of Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes in Rats

Abstract

Radiotherapy is one of the most common therapies for treating human cancers. Several studies have indicated that irradiation induces reactive oxygen species (ROS), which play an important role in radiation damage of the cell. It has been shown that Nigella sativa L. (NS) and reduced glutathione (GSH) have both an antiperoxidative effect on different tissues and a scavenger effect on ROS. The purpose of this study was to determine the antioxidant and radio-protective roles of NS and GSH against irradiation-induced oxidative injury in an experimental model. The NS group was administrated NS (1 mL/kg body weight), the GSH group was injected GSH (150 mg/kg body weight) and the control group was given physiologic saline solution (1 mL/kg body weight) for 30 consecutive days before exposure to a single dose of 6 Gy of radiation. Animals were sacrificed after irradiation. Malondialdehyde, nitrate, nitrite (oxidative stress markers) and ascorbic acid, retinol, beta-carotene, GSH and ceruloplasmin (nonenzymatic antioxidant markers) levels and peripheral blood lymphocytes were measured in all groups. There were statistically significant differences between the groups for all parameters (P < 0.05). Whole-body irradiation caused a significant increase in blood malondialdehyde, nitrate and nitrite levels. The blood oxidative stress marker levels in irradiated rats that were pretreated with NS and GSH were significantly decreased; however, non-enzymatic antioxidant levels were significantly increased. Also, our results suggest that NS and GSH administration prior to irradiation prevent the number of alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase peripheral blood T lymphocytes from declining. These results clearly show that NS and GSH treatment significantly antagonize the effects of radiation. Therefore, NS and GSH may be a beneficial agent in protection against ionizing radiation-related tissue injury.

Antioxidant Effects of <i>Nigella Sativa</i> in the Treatment of Experimentally Induced Rhinosinusitis

“…One of the potential properties of NS is the ability of one or more of its constituents to reduce toxicity due to its antioxidant activities. The majority of studies that have been performed to evaluate the different effects of NS have been confined to address its antitoxic properties [9,10,26,27]. In addition to this, many investigators have determined the antioxidant activities of NS in vivo [6][7][8].…”

“…The volatile oil has been shown to contain thymoquinone and monoterpenes such as pcymene and alpha-pinene. Recently, clinical and animal studies have shown that an extract of black seed has many therapeutic effects, including anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antitumor, and antihistaminic effects [7][8][9][10][11][12][13].…”

Cancer chemopreventive potential of volatile oil from black cumin seeds, Nigella sativa L., in a rat multi-organ carcinogenesis bioassay

“…For instance, thymoquinone was found to have antioxidant effects in animal models (54,58,65). These antioxidant effects were also thought to protect tissues from radiation injury (66). It has been found that polyunsaturated fatty acids constitute 83.7% of the total fat in black seeds (67), with linoleic acid (cis-C18:2 ω-6) as the major component (60.8%) and oleic acid (cis-C18:1 ω-9) constituting 21.9% of total fats.…”

Influence of vibration-induced stress on functional-metabolic status of blood leukocytes

“…Изменения численности и клеточно-популяционного состава (формулы) лейкоцитов периферической крови не относятся к признакам, характерным для продолжительного стрессирования, поскольку могут отсутствовать у людей и экспериментальных животных как на первичном (мобилизационном) этапе действия раздражителя, так и на более поздних этапах реагирования [10,11]. В то же время в самих циркулирующих лейкоцитах и плазме крови начальные проявления повреждающей реакции на экзогенные воздействия связаны с закономерным сдвигом в сторону повышенного образования активных форм кислорода (АФК), способствующих пероксидации мембранных липидов [12][13][14][15]. Используя в качестве повреждающих агентов факторы химической природы, было выявлено, что ингибирование МП при параллельной активации КФ в нейтрофилах также имеет отношение к свободнорадикальному механизму, показывая зависимость от скорости накопления АФК в периферической крови: прямую -для КФ, и обратную -для МП [12,13].…”

“…Ранее сообщалось о способности природных АО предохранять цитохимическую реакцию на эстеразу в лимфоцитах от снижения после однократного окислительного повреждения, когда протекторное действие лимитируется системами антипероксидной защиты [15]. Последние, однако, как показывают наши данные, не являются достаточно результативными при длительном стрессировании, то есть, в период усиления регуляторного влияния механизмов долгосрочной адаптации, существенно модифицирующих активность НЭ в лимфоцитах [21], что отмечается и у горнорабочих, продолжительно контактирующих с виброинструментами [22].…”