Antioxidant and chemopreventive potential of Nigella sativa on PSN-1 cell line in rats

Abstract

Nigella Sativa is an important herbal plant, commonly known as black seed and consumed throughout the world. Nigella is reported as antidiabetic, antihypertensive, anticancer and analgesic. Present study was designed to evaluate the anticancer and antioxidant activities. 24 Albino wistar rats were divided into 4 groups. Animals were divided into 4 groups, Control was given normal saline , Second group was given Nigella extract at a dose of 250 mg/kg/ml orally. In group 3, mercury at a dose of 0.3 mg/kg/ml administered intraperitoneally and group 4 was pretreated with Nigella extract and post 1 week administration of extract mercury was co-administered for 2 weeks. Cancer  induced in albino wistar male rats via initiation of oxidative stress through Mercuric chloride administration. Anticancer potential of Nigella was determined by an in vitro assay (MTT assay). Following antioxidant activity of Nigella was determined in rats. In both in vitro and in vivo studies, Nigella reduced cancer cells metabolism as well as oxidative stress respectively. Present studies reveal that induction of oxidative stress can initiate cancer which can counter Nigella administration by reducing oxidative stress and maintenance of plasma antioxidant enzyme level, further it could be helpful as an anticancer activity.