HISTOPATHOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE EFFECT OF BLACK SEED (Nigella sativa) OIL ON THE METHOTREXATE-INDUCED GASTROINTESTINAL MUCOSA INJURY AND HEPATOTOXICITY IN MICE

Abstract

Black seed (Nigella sativa) oil is one of the herbal product which used for therapeutic purposes. We aimed to investigate the effects of black seed oil on irritated gastrointestinal mucosa and liver. 21 healthy swiss albino mice were randomly divided into three groups: control group, group-2, group-3. The MTX (20 mg/kg) was given intraperitoneally as a single dose on the 1st day to the group-2 and group-3. Black seed oil (4 ml/kg) was administered by gavages into the stomach daily for 7 days to the group 3. No pathology was observed in control group. In gastric mucosa histopathology, no pathology was observed in the gastric mucosa of group-2 and group-3. In the histopathological examination of the intestinal mucosa, significant hvperplasia and mononuclear cell infiltrations were observed in the intestines of the mice forming the group-2, characterized by an increase in villous epithelial cells. In the intestines of group-3, marked hyperplasia was observed, characterized by an increase in villous epithelial cells, and no other pathognomic findings in group-2 were observed. In liver histopathology, vascular congestion, sinusoidal enlargement, mononuclear cell infiltrations in periportal areas and local degenerative changes were observed in group-2 and group-3. According to the data we obtained in our study, black seed oil has no irritating side for stomach and intestinal mucosa, and it was also seen that it has a protective and therapeutic effect. However, it was also observed in this study that the black seed did not affect the damaged liver and did not have a healing effect.