title: Effects of Nigella unguicularis fixed oil on blood biochemistry and oxidant/antioxidant balance in rats.
abstract: In the present study, Nigella unguicularis (Lam.) Spenner (Ranunculaceae) (Nu) fixed oil was administered orally to Wistar Kyoto rats for 4 weeks. The effects of the oil on serum lipid profile, haematological parameters and oxidant/antioxidant balance were investigated. The study showed that daily administration of the oil (1 ml/kg orally for 4 weeks) caused a significant decrease in serum total cholesterol, VLDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose levels and a significant elevation of serum high-density lipoprotein level. The serum transaminases ( aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT)), alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, blood urea nitrogen, urea, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration decreased significantly while albumin, mean corpuscular volume and fibrinogen levels increased significantly compared to control values. The administration of the oil (1 ml/kg orally for 4 weeks) caused a significant increase total antioxidant status in rats. Treatment with Nigella unguicularis oil did not effect malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations. It is concluded that Nigella unguicularis oil possesses favourable metabolic effects on blood biochemistry and oxidant/antioxidant balance in rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mersin University, Yenişehir Campus, 33169 Mersin, Turkey. gkokdil@mersin.edu.tr
authors.forename: Gamze
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kökdil
authors.forename: Lülüfer
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tamer
authors.forename: Bahadir
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ercan
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ilcim
authors.forename: Nurcan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aras
authors.forename: Uğur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Atik
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D031844:Nigella / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D014421:Turkey
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001786:Blood Glucose; D008055:Lipids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010938:Plant Oils; D008315:Malondialdehyde