Background: Nigella sativa (NS) has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity; it exhibits a role in tissue fibrosis and wound
healing. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors improve
the cardiac fibrosis. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of
Nigella Sativa and ACE inhibitors and combination of both on
myocardial fibrosis induced by lipopolysaccharide. Material and
methods: Thirty-five male albino rats were divided into five groups.
1. Control group 2. LPS group in which rats were injected
intraperitoneally (IP) with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at a dose of (1
mg/kg/day) daily for three weeks. 3. NS treated group in which rats
were IP injected with LPS then given NS oil orally at a dose of
(1ml/ day) daily for three weeks 4. Captopril (CAP) treated group in
which rats were IP injected with LPS then given CAP orally at a
dose of (100 mg/kg/ day) daily for three weeks. 5. NS&CAP treated
group in which rats were IP injected with LPS then given NS and
CAP. Then the left ventricular tissues were examined for
histopathological and immunohistochemical changes. Results: LPS
induced loss of architecture of the cardiomyocytes with marked fibrosis indicated by significant
increase in area % of collagen fibrosis and α-SMA immunostaining expression. NS and CAP
improved these changes but the combination of both revealed marked improvement of the
histopathological changes with significant decreasing in area % of collagen fibrosis and α-SMA
immunostaining expression. Conclusion: we concluded that the combination of Nigella sativa
and Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor markedly improved the myocardial fibrosis induced
by lipopolysaccharide |
