Hepatoprotective Activity of Nigella sativa Oil against Antitubercular Drug-induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats

Aim: Drug induced hepatotoxicity is a potentially serious adverse effect of the currently used antitubercular chemotherapeutic regimens containing isoniazid (INH) and rifampicin. The aim of this study is to check the hepatoprotective action of Nigella sativa against the antitubercular drugs (Rifampicin and Isoniazed)-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.

Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out in the Department of Pharmacy, Integral University, Lucknow, UP, India in the year 2011.

Methodology: Nigella sativa oil was purchased from local market of Lucknow India with assured quality in the month of January, 2011 and study was performed in same year. Powder form of drugs like Rifampicin and Isoniazid were gifted by Cadila Pharmaceuticals limited, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India whereas 24 Albino rats (Wistar strain) female, weighing 120–150 g, were procured from the Animal House Facility, Integral University, Lucknow. Rats were divided into four groups; first group which is an untreated control was given only standard diet. Second group was treated with Nigella sativa, which served as drug control. Third group were treated with 100 mg of each Isoniazid and Rifampicin/kg of body weight. In fourth group rats were treated with Nigella sativa oil and 100 mg of Isoniazid and Rifampicin/kg of body weight. At the end of dosing, serum was used for estimation of marker enzymes like aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total and direct bilirubin. Grading of treated and untreated liver was also done.

Results: This study showed that Nigella sativa acted as antiinflammatory and antinecrotic in isoniazid and rifampicin administered drugs in rats. When Nigella sativa was coadminstered with Rifampicin + Isoniazid, it resulted in the decrease of these marker enzymes and maintained these enzymes at normal levels in the serum of rats compared to the only Rifampicin + Isoniazid administered rats thus indicates the hepatoprotective action of Nigella sativa.

Conclusions: Due to above properties of Nigella sativa can be used as hepatoprotective against antitubercular drugs.