title: Neuroprotective effects of Nigella sativa extract on cell death in hippocampal neurons following experimental global cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Global cerebral ischemia followed by reperfusion, leads to extensive neuronal damage, particularly the neurons in the hippocampal CA region. Recent studies have demonstrated that pharmacological agents, such as Nigella sativa L. (Ranunculaceae) that is an annual herbaceous flowering plant, given at the time of reperfusion afforded protection against ischemia, which is referred to as pharmacological post conditioning.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of Nigella sativa in the hippocampus neurons of rats exposed to global ischemia/reperfusion.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the present study 30 Wister rats (200-250 g) were divided into 5 groups namely sham (operated without treatment), control (operation with normal saline treatment), and 3 treatment groups with Nigella sativa 1mg/kg, 10mg/kg and 50mg/kg. Firstly, the animals were anesthetized by ketamin and xylazine, and then the right carotid artery was operated upon dissection of the soft tissues around it and ligation by a clamp for 20 min. The Nigella sativa extraction was used during surgery through IP route and after 72 h the animals were euthanized and their brain removed, fixed and prepared for histopathological examinations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In treatment group (1mg/kg) the interstitial neuron frequency which contains cytoplasmic edema, along with CA, was 28 cells, whereas the edematous astrocyte number along with CA in this group was 115 cells. In the treatment group (10mg/kg) the interstitial neurons of cornua ammonis (CA) were 15 and the edematous astrocytes were 122 cells and in the treatment group (50mg/kg) the number of edematous interstitial neurons was 7 cells in distance of 2900 μ of CA. In such group the number of edematous interstitial neurons was less as well. In this group the appearance of CA cells was more similar to control group, not only the edema decreased in interstitial and astrocyte cells, but it dramatically decreased in pyramidal cells. Our study revealed that the Nigella sativa extraction could prevent intracellular edema of interneurons in 50mg/kg group significantly compared to sham group (91.6%) and the extraction (50mg/kg) decreased edematous astrocytes 67.1% dramatically compared to sham group. Furthermore there was no significant difference between control and two treatment groups (1 and 10mg/kg) (P>0.05), CONCLUSION: Our finding suggested that the N. sativa extraction could prevent the cerebral edema which the best result was obtained in 50mg/kg group; consequently such extraction is able to prevent ischemia/reperfusion in the hippocampus tissue of the brain.
authors: Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Hobbenaghi
authors: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: javadjavanbakht@ut.ac.ir.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Javanbakht
authors: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
authors: Sh
authors: Sh
authors: Sadeghzadeh
authors: Islamic Azad University of Mashhad, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad, Iran.
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Kheradmand
authors: Small Animal Internal Medicine Resident of Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch of Tehran, Iran.
authors: F S
authors: FS
authors: Abdi
authors: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
authors: M H
authors: MH
authors: Jaberi
authors: Department of Food Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran.
authors: M R
authors: MR
authors: Mohammadiyan
authors: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Khadivar
authors: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Mollaei
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D031881:Nigella sativa / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Cornu ammonis; Histopathological; Nigella sativa; Rats; Right carotid artery; Surgery