Histological study of the effect of Nigella sativa on diabetic nephropathy in rats.

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus has been induced in Sprague Dawely rats, by injection of alloxan 75
mg/kg body weight, once daily for three successive days, The rats were randomly allotted into one of four experimental groups: A (control), B (diabetic untreated), C (diabetic treated with Glibenclamide) ; and d (diabetic treated with Glibenclamide and Nigella sativa), each group contain twenty four animals. Development of diabetes in three experimental groups was confirmed by measuring blood glucose levels in a tail vein blood samples. Rats with blood glucose levels of 250 mg/dl or higher were considered to be diabetic. The rats in NS treated groups were given NS extract (100 mg/kg body weight) once a day orally by using intra gastric intubation for 5: months, starting 2 days after alloxan injection. Treatment of NS reduced the glomerular size,
thickening of capsular, glomerular and tubular basement membranes prevent the increased in the amounts of mesangial matrix and tubular dilatation as
compared with diabetics untreated. We conclude that NS therapy causes renal morphologic and functional improvement after alloxan-induced diabetes in rats. We believe that further preclinical research into the utility of NS treatment may indicate its usefulness as a potential treatment in diabetic nephropathy.