EFFICIENT SUPPRESSION OF ETHYLENE GLYCOL-INDUCED TOXICITY WITH NIGELLA SATIVA OIL IN RATS

Ethylene glycol is commonly marketed as “permanent antifreeze”. However, its overdose causes a life-threatening toxicity, partic ularly on brain and bone marrow. Unfortunately, the current treatment of ethylene gl ycol (EG) toxicity is still non- specific and ineffective, and efforts are being mad e to seek new alternative therapy. Here we designed a study to evaluate the possible p rotective role of Nigella sativa oil with potent antioxidant/anti-inflammatory propertie s, on a rat model of EG-induced toxicity. Forty Wistar rats were randomly and equal ly divided into 4 groups: Group 1 (control group) didn’t receive any medication, whil e rats of groups 2, 3, and 4 orally received Nigella sativa oil (40 mg/kg), EG (0.1 ml /kg), and EG plus Nigella sativa oil, respectively, for 7 consecutive days. During t he study, the animal’s survivability was recorded daily. At day 8, all the survived rats were sacrificed and their blood samples, spleens and brains were collected and exam ined. EG in its overdoses successfully induced severe toxicity in rats with 3 0% mortality rate. The remarkable metabolic & bone marrow toxic effect of EG toxicity was evidenced by a significant elevation in monocytes count and percentage. Simila rly, the histopathological findings confirmed the complete blood count data an d indicated the presence of severe injuries in the bone marrow, spleen and brai n of rats with EG toxicity. In addition, bone marrow depression, evidenced by decr ease in the count of WBCs, RBCs and blood platelets, were significantly observ ed in rats with EG toxicity. Interestingly, concomitant administration of Nigell a sativa oil completely prevented the acute toxic effect of EG overdose-toxicity. Nig ella sativa oil supplementation also significantly protected the bone marrow, blood, and brain tissues from the toxic effects of EG. All hematological and histological d eteriorations that were associated to EG -overdose-toxicity were significantly reduced with Nigella sativa oil concomitant therapy. Our study provides evidence th at Nigella sativa oil supplementation protects bone marrow and brain tiss ues against EG intoxication and could be used as an effective therapy for this purp ose.