Effect of Nigella sativa on reproductive system in experimental menopause rat model

Abstract

Objective: Menopause is the condition when regular menstrual periods cease and may be accompanied by psychological and physical symptoms. The purpose of current study was to determine Nigella sativa effects on reproductive system in experimental menopause animal models.

Materials and methods: A series of experiments was conducted to investigate the effects of different dosages of N. sativa (first experiment), various extracts of N. sativa (second experiment) and some of its ingredients (third experiment) on selected menopausal parameters of ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Forty different OVX rats were equally divided into 5 groups and administered with one of the following treatments for 21 days: conjugated equine estrogen (positive control), distilled water or olive oil (negative control), treatment groups (N. sativa300, 600 and 1200 mg/kg in the first experiment), (300mg/kg methanol, hexane and SFE extracts of N. sativa in the second experiment) and (linoleic acid 50 mg/kg, gamma linolenic acid 10mg/kg, and thymoquinone 15mg/kg in the third experiment).

Results: The results demonstrated that N.sativa exert estrogenic effect were exhibited through uterotrophic assay and vaginal cell cornification as well as blood estrogen level. Furthermore, low dose N. sativa, methanol extract and linoleic acid had prominent estrogenic like effects which were significantly different from those of control group (p<0.05) in different experiments.

Conclusion: The finding indicated the probable beneficial role for N. sativa in the treatment of postmenopausal symptoms and possibility of using N. sativa as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for post menopause in human.

Keywords: Menopause; Nigella sativa; Ovariectomized rats.

Figure 1

Flow diagram of the experimental studies to determine the effect of Nigella sativaon reproductive system of OVX rats

Figure 2

Means of Endometrial Thickness (ET) and Myometrial Thickness (MT) (µm) in Uteri of OVX rats supplemented with various doses of Nigella sativa or Conjugated Equine Estrogen. Treatment: C= control (1 ml distilled water); CEE= conjugated equine estrogen (0.2mg/kg); LNS= low dose of Nigella sativa (300mg/kg); MNS= medium dose of Nigella sativa (600mg/kg); HNS= high dose of Nigella sativa (1200mg/kg) groups. ET= Endometrial Thickness (µm) MT= Myometrial Thickness (µm). Data expressed as mean.

Figure 3

Changes of serum estradiol level (pg/ml) inOVX rats supplemented with various doses of Nigella sativa or Conjugated Equine Estrogen.

Figure 4.

Vaginal smear of ovariectomized ratsfollowing21 days of supplementation with various ingredients of Nigella sativa or Conjugated Equine Estrogen. [TQ=Thymoquinone (15mg/kg/day),LA=linoleic Acid (50mg/kg/day),GLA= Gamma Linolenic Acid (10mg/kg/day),CEE= conjugated equine estrogen (0.2mg/kg/day)and C= control (1 ml Olive Oil/day)groups]. (Methylen blue staining, 40x