Effect of Flavonoids Extracted from Black Cumin (Nigella sativa) and Vitamin E in Ameliorating Hepatic Damage Induced by Sodium Nitrate in adult male rats Baraa N. AL-Okaily 1, Rawya Shaker Mohammed , Kahtan A. Al-Mzain1 and Khalisa Khadim Khudair1

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the effect of sodium nitrate as oxidant agent on hepatic function of adult male rats, as well as the possible protective role of vitamin E and flavonoid extracted from Nigella Sativa seeds against the deleterious effects of sodium nitrate. Forty adult male rats were randomly divided in to 4 equal groups and treated daily for 84 days as follows: Animals in the first group were received normal saline, serving as control (group C), rats of the second group (T1) were intubated orally sodium nitrate 30mg/kg. B.W.; animals in T2 group were intubated orally vit. E 40mg/Kg B.W. in addition to sodium nitrate, while rats in the fourth group (T3) were intubated orally 50mg/kg B.W of flavonoids was extracted from Nigella Sativa seeds with sodium nitrate. Blood samples were collected at 0, 21, 42, 63 and 84 days of experiment to study the following parameters: Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphtase activity (ALP), serum billirubin, as well as hemoglobin concentration. The result revealed that oral intubation of 30mg/kg. B.W of sodium nitrate (T1 group) for 84 days caused hepatic damage manifested by significant increase (p<0.05) in serum ALT and ALP activities, bilirubin concentration and depression in hemoglobin concentration. On other hand, the protective role of vitamin E and flavonoids extracted from Nigella Sativa was clarified in groupsT2 and T3, including correction of hepatic damage manifested by significant (p<0.05) depression in ALT and ALP activities and bilirubin concentration as well as significant (p<0.05) elevation in hemoglobin concentration. In conclusion, the results of this study confirm the protective role of vitamin E and flavonoids of Nigella sativa seed against hepatic dysfunction caused by sodium nitrate manifested by structural and functional changes.