Investigating the Efficacy of Black Cumin Seeds Hydroethanolic Extract in Reducing Cyclophosphamide-Induced Genotoxicity

Cyclophosphamide is a very important chemotherapy drug for patients with cancers and autoimmune diseases, but unfortunately it is a mutagenic and cytotoxic agent. In this research, the effectiveness of black cumin (Nigella sattiva) seeds hydroethanolic extract in reducing cyclophosphamide-induced genotoxicity was studied after determining the safety of this extract. The acute and subacute toxicity of the extract was evaluated at a dose of 1500mg/kg/day in albino rats. The extract did not lead to any deaths or behavioral pattern changes in rats, in addition, the biochemical analysis and the results of the relative organ weights showed the absence of any toxicity for the extract. The anti-mutagenic ability of the extract was evaluated using in vivo chromosomal aberration test and in vitro comet assay. Results showed that oral administration of the extract to rats before treatment with cyclophosphamide caused a significant decrease in chromosomal aberrations. In comet assay, the extract showed also significant reduction in cyclophosphamide-induced DNA migration. It could be concluded that black cumin seeds extract had a protective effect against Cyclophosphamide - induced genotoxicity and may be considered as an anti-mutagenic agent after conducting more studies.