title: Protective effect of black seed oil from Nigella sativa against murine cytomegalovirus infection.
abstract: In this study, antiviral effect of black seed oil (BSO) from Nigella sativa was investigated using murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) as a model. The viral load and innate immunity mediated by NK cells and M&phi; during early stage of the infection were analyzed. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of BSO to BALB/c mice, a susceptible strain of MCMV infection, strikingly inhibited the virus titers in spleen and liver on day 3 of infection with 1x10(5) PFU MCMV. This effect coincided with an increase in serum level of IFN-gamma. Although BSO treatment decreased both number and cytolytic function of NK cells on day 3 of infection, it increased numbers of M&phi; and CD4(+) T cells. On day 10 of infection, the virus titer was undetectable in spleen and liver of BSO-treated mice, while it was detectable in control mice. Although spleen of both control and BSO-treated mice showed similar CTL activities on day 10 after infection, serum level of IFN-gamma in BSO-treated mice was higher. Furthermore, BSO treatment upregulated suppressor function of M&phi; in spleen. These results show that BSO exhibited a striking antiviral effect against MCMV infection which may be mediated by increasing of M&phi; number and function, and IFN-gamma production.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan. mohamed_84@hotmail.com
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Salem
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hossain
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008099:Liver / Q000821:virology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D010938:Plant Oils; D007371:Interferon-gamma