Curcumin versus nigella sativa L. A comparative study of their possible protective effects on experimentally induced liver injury in rats

Abstract EN

Objectives : The present study aimed at comparing the effects of each of Nigella sativa seeds and curcumin (turmeric) on the liver.

It also evaluated their protective efficacy against an experimentally induced carbon tetrachloride (CCL4) hepatic lesion.

Methods : Adult, male albino rats were given crushed Nigella seeds and curcumin powder in a daily dose of 10% of the chow diet (rat food) for eight weeks and were subjected to induction of a chronic hepatic lesion by CCl4.

The liver was examined histo-logically by routine H&E and by PAS stains.

Liver fibrosis and parenchymal proliferation were assessed immunohistochemically by collagen type I and proliferating cell nuclear antigens (PCNA) respectively.

Biochemical assessment of the liver enzymes, of the serum and tissue homogenate indices of oxidative stress and of the caspase enzyme for apoptosis was done.

Results and Conclusion : Curcumin proved to be a safe herbal supplementation with powerful hepato-protective effects compared to Nigella sativa.

It has more potent antioxidant, anti-fibrotic, apoptotic and anti-proliferative actions.

The use of Nigella sativa seeds as herbal therapeutic remedies in chronic liver diseases should be reconsidered.