Nigella sativa oil attenuates chronic nephrotoxicity induced by oral sodium nitrite: Effects on tissue fibrosis and apoptosis

Abstract

Objectives: Sodium nitrite, a food preservative, has been reported to increase oxidative stress indicators such as lipid peroxidation, which can affect different organs including the kidney. Here, we investigated the toxic effects of oral sodium nitrite on kidney function in rats and evaluated potential protective effects of Nigella sativa oil (NSO).

Methods: Seventy adult male Sprague–Dawley rats received 80 mg/kg sodium nitrite orally in the presence or absence of NSO (2.5, 5, and 10 ml/kg) for 12 weeks. Morphological changes were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin, Mallory trichome, and periodic acid–Schiff staining. Renal tissues were used for measurements of oxidative stress markers, C-reactive protein, cytochrome C oxidase, transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1, monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1, pJNK/JNK, and caspase-3.

Results: NSO significantly reduced sodium nitrite-induced elevation in serum urea and creatinine, as well as increasing normal appearance of renal tissue. NSO also prevented reductions in glycogen levels caused by sodium nitrite alone. Moreover, NSO treatment resulted in dose-dependent significant reductions in fibrosis markers after sodium nitrite-induced 3- and 2.7-fold increase in MCP-1 and TGF-beta1, respectively. Finally, NSO partially reduced the elevated caspase-3 and pJNK/JNK.

Discussion: NSO ameliorates sodium nitrite-induced nephrotoxicity through blocking oxidative stress, attenuation of fibrosis/inflammation, restoration of glycogen level, amelioration of cytochrome C oxidase, and inhibition of apoptosis.

Keywords:

• Black cumin
• CRP
• Cytochrome C oxidase
• Glycogen
• MCP-1
• TGF-beta1

Acknowledgment

We want to thank Prof Dr Ronald E. See, PhD, Medical University of South Carolina, USA for careful revision of the manuscript.

Disclaimer statements

Contributors None.

Funding The authors would like to acknowledge financial support for this work form the Deanship of Scientific Research (DSR), University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, under grant number S-1436-0007.

Conflicts of interest The authors declared no conflict of interest.

Ethics approval All the animal procedures were approved by the ethical committee of Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Mansoura.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.