title: Effect of dexamethasone and Nigella sativa on inducible nitric oxide synthase in the lungs of a murine model of allergic Asthma.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Nigella sativa (NS) fixed oil in comparison to dexamethasone (Dex) on inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), peripheral blood eosinophils (PBE), allergen specific serum IgG1 and interleukins and airway inflammation in a murine model of allergic asthma. Thirty-one mice were divided into four groups. Group I (n = 6) served as the control group. Group II (n = 10) mice were sensitized intraperitoneally and challenged intratracheally with cone albumin with no treatment. Group III(n = 6) mice were sensitized, challenged, and treated with Dex for 17 days starting at 24 hours after the first challenge. Group IV (n = 9) mice were sensitized, challenged, and treated with NS fixed oil for 17 days as well. For all groups, the following procedures were carried out: immunohistochemical study of iNOS in lung tissues, detection of PBE percentage, and histopathological examination of lung tissues for inflammatory cells. Lung tissue iNOS expression increased in sensitized, non-treated mice compared with controls, but this increase was not significant. NS fixed oil treatment significantly reduced PBE and lung inflammation but did not significantly reduce lung tissue iNOS expression compared with the control group. These effects were comparable to the effects of Dex. These results suggest that Nigella sativa exhibits immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effect which may be useful for treatment of allergic asthma.
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Research Unit, Gastro-enterology Center, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.. azizhkh@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdel-Aziz
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Research Unit, Gastro-enterology Center, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt andKing Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box, 80216 Jeddah 21589 ,Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. aymntalat2001@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Ayman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abass
authors.affiliation: Pathology Departments ,Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.. Zalata@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Khaled
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zalata
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Allergy and Immunology Departments ,Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt. desoky@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Tarek
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Abd Al-Galel
authors.affiliation: King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box, 80216 Jeddah 21589 ,Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. umamaabdelalsalam@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Umamma
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Allam
authors.affiliation: King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box, 80216 Jeddah 21589 ,Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Department of Surgery, Anesthesiology & Radiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516 Dakahlia, Egypt. gkarrouf@kau.edu.sa.
authors.forename: Gamal
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Karrouf
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects; D008168:Lung / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D031881:Nigella sativa / Q000737:chemistry*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D029974:Carum
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D010938:Plant Oils; D003907:Dexamethasone; C104525:caraway oil; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496317:Nos2 protein, mouse