Nigella sativa, a traditional Tunisian herbal medicine, attenuates bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in a rat model

The present study investigated the effects of Nigella sativa oil (NSO) on bleomycin (BLM)-induced lung fibrosis in rats. The rat model of pulmonary fibrosis (PF) was established by intratracheal instillation of BLM, and the effect of 1 ml/kg oral NSO treatment once daily observed. The effect of NSO was studied over a period of 50 days using H-1 RMN analysis on the urine and broncho alveolar lavage fluid (Balf) of the rats. Histopathological (inflammation and fibrosis) and immunohistochemical (TGF-beta 1 density) changes were evaluated. Results found that the BLM group showed a significant increase in inflammatory index (II), fibrosis score (FS) and TGF-beta 1 distribution in the lung inflammatory infiltrate, accompanied by a decreased urinary secretion of Krebs cycle intermediates, including acetate, pyruvate, carnitine, trimethylamine-N-oxide and succinate. However, at the same time point, NSO treated rats had a reduced II and FS, and had an increased urinary secretion of histidine, fumarate, allantoin and malate. In conclusion, NSO treatment attenuated the effects of BLM-induced PF, by supporting lung, liver and kidney activity in resisting PF. These findings provide an insight into the preventive and therapeutic potential of NSO in the treatment of PF. (C) 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.