Nigella sativa pretreatment in guinea pigs exposed to cigarette smoke modulates in vitro tracheal responsiveness

Abstract EN

Background : In previous studies, the bronchodilator and antitussive effects of Nigella sativa have been demonstrated on guinea pigs.

Objectives : In the present study, the effect of the hydroethanolic extract of N.

sativa on tracheal responsiveness in guinea pigs exposed to cigarette smoke was examined.

Materials and Methods : Three groups of guinea pig models of COPD were given drinking water alone (COPD group), drinking water containing vitamin C (COPD + VC group), and N.

sativa (COPD + NS group).

Tracheal responses to methacholine were measured as effective concentration causing 50 % of maximum response (EC50 M) in control animals (group C) and three groups of guinea pigs with COPD (n = 7, for all groups).

Tracheal responses to 0.1 % ovalbumin in comparison to contraction obtained by 10 μM methacholine were also examined.

Results : The tracheal responsiveness to both methacholine and ovalbumin in guinea pigs with COPD were significantly higher than those of controls (P < 0.001 for both cases).

The tracheal responsiveness in the COPD + VC and the COPD + NS groups to both methacholine and ovalbumin were significantly decreased in comparison to the COPD group (P < 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusions : These results showed the preventive effect of hydroethanolic extract of N.

sativa on tracheal responsiveness of guinea pig model of COPD, which was as effective as vitamin C.