title: Protective effects of the volatile oil of Nigella sativa seeds on beta-cell damage in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats: a light and electron microscopic study.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible protective effects of the volatile oil of Nigella sativa (NS) seeds on insulin immunoreactivity and ultrastructural changes of pancreatic beta-cells in STZ-induced diabetic rats. STZ was injected intraperitoneally at a single dose of 50 mg/kg to induce diabetes. The rats in NS treated groups were given NS (0.2 ml/kg) once a day orally for 4 weeks starting 3 days prior to STZ injection. To date, no ultrastructural changes of pancreatic beta-cells in STZ induced diabetic rats by NS treatment have been reported. Islet cell degeneration and weak insulin immunohistochemical staining was observed in rats with STZ-induced diabetes. Increased intensity of staining for insulin, and preservation of beta-cell numbers were apparent in the NS-treated diabetic rats. The protective effect of NS on STZ-diabetic rats was evident by a moderate increase in the lowered secretory vesicles with granules and also slight destruction with loss of cristae within the mitochondria of beta-cell when compared to control rats. These findings suggest that NS treatment exerts a therapeutic protective effect in diabetes by decreasing morphological changes and preserving pancreatic beta-cell integrity. Consequently, NS may be clinically useful for protecting beta-cells against oxidative stress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Trakya University, Edirne 22030, Turkey. mkanter65@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kanter
authors.forename: Meryem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akpolat
authors.forename: Cevat
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aktas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019610:Cytoprotection / Q000187:drug effects*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D031881:Nigella sativa / Q000737:chemistry*; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry*; D013311:Streptozocin
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D013311:Streptozocin