The effect of dietary supplementation of Nigella sativa L. on serum lipid profile in rats.

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.

CONCLUSIONS

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