Background: Thymoquinone as the main active component of Nigella sativa might have a various pharmacological effects such as antiapoptotic and antioxidant. Morphine is commonly used for the treatment of severe pain that can increase the generation of free radicals and affects the spermatogenesis. This study was designed to evaluate protective effects of thymoquinone against morphine-induced damages, sperm viability, count, motility, morphology and testis histology, and nitric oxide and testosterone hormone of the mice. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, we divided 48 mice into eight groups (n = 6); various doses of thymoquinone (2, 10, and 20 mg/kg) and morphine (20 mg/kg) plus thymoquinone (2, 10, and 20 mg/kg) were administered intraperitoneally to 48 male mice for 30 consequent days. Male reproductive parameters including testis weight, testosterone hormone, serum nitric oxide, germinal thickness, sperm morphology, count, viability, and motility were analyzed and compared. Results: The results indicated that morphine administration significantly decreased germinal thickness, testis weight, testosterone level, viability, morphology, count, and motility of sperm and increased nitric oxide as compared to saline group (P

Effect of Thymoquinone on Reproductive Parameter in Morphine-treated Male Mice.

Summary
Infertility is defined as inability of a sexually active couple to conceive after 1 year of regular intercourse without contraception. Male factors account for 20%–50% of cases of infertility. The aim of this study was to review medicinal plants that proposed to improve sperm abnormalities in traditional Persian medicine. For this purpose, PubMed, Scopus, GoogleScholar and Cochrane library were explored for medicinal plants used in traditional Persian medicine for sperm abnormalities to obtain studies giving any evidence for their efficacy and pharmacological mechanisms related to male infertility. Data were collected for the years 1966 to March 2015. For some of them, including Chlorophytum borivilianum, Crocus sativus, Nigella sativa, Sesamum indicum, Tribulus terrestris, Mucuna pruriens and Withania somnifera, more reliable evidence was found. The mechanisms involved in the beneficial effects of medicinal plants in sperm abnormalities are antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-oedematous and venotonic activity as well as containing precursors for sperm production and increasing blood testosterone level. Various phytochemical categories including saponins, phytosterols, carotenoids, oxygenated volatile compounds, phenolic compounds and alkaloids seem to be responsible for these beneficial effects. Further studies are recommended for obtaining more conclusive results about the efficacy and safety of the mentioned medicinal plants.

An evidence-based approach to medicinal plants for the treatment of sperm abnormalities in traditional Persian medicine.

Prevention of H2O2 Induced Oxidative Damages of Rat Testis by Thymus algeriensis.

Spectacular Black Seeds (Nigella sativa) : Medical Importance Review

Nigella sativa (Black seeds) has been recognized as one of the most popular herbs in many parts of the world for centuries. It was used in the world as folk medicine to cure different kinds of diseases. This plant has been considered as one of the main sources of nutrition and healthcare for humans as well as animals. It has been perceived as Kalonji; it is a southwest Asian plant that flowers annually. The seeds and oil of this plant have been used in food; in addition, it has a long history in the making of medicines. In addition to its being a model plant for better realization of gene and chromosome relationship, the plant species is also significant cytogenetically. Plant based system has not been absorbed fully for human health care despite the remarkable advancements in the field of pharmacology. Cumin, as one of the medicinal plants gifted to humans by nature, has a number of potential uses. It has been proved to be a useful herbal medicines that can be used for human health and therefore has been extensively studied and investigated to further discover the advantages of this plant.

The Various Effects of Nigella Sativa on Multiple Body Systems in Human and Animals

The effect of Nigella sativa oil (0.8ml/kg B.W) on testis, accessory sex glands and epididymal sperm characters was studied in mature male albino rats treated with hydrogen peroxide H2O2(0.5% in drinking water) for 30 days orally. The results showed thatH2O2 treatment caused a significant decrease in the percentage of live/dead sperms 13.66% associated with a significant increase in the percentage of and morphologically abnormal sperms 39.5%.While a significant increase in the percentage of live/dead sperms in both Nigella sativa oil treated group and Nigella sativa oil joined to H2O2 (85%), (72.16%) , respectively accompanied with a decrease in percentage of morphologically abnormal sperms compared with H2O2 treated group. It is concluded that Nigella sativa oil possess an antioxidative actions to counter act the impairment in the epididymal sperm characters caused by H2O2 treatment. INTRODUCTION Oxidative stress is a condition associated with an increased rate of cellular damage induced by oxygen derived species, a highly reactive oxidizing agents, belonging to the class of free radicals (Sikka etal., 1995). The most common reactive oxygen species that have potential implications in reproductive biology include superoxide (O2) anion, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), peroxyl (ROO) radicals and the very reactive hydroxyl (OH') radicals. The nitrogen–derived free radical nitric oxide (NO') and peroxy nitrite anion (ONOO') also appear to play a significant role in reproduction.(Sikka, 1996). Excessive reactive oxygen species generation can overwhelm the protective mechanism and initiate changes in lipid and/or protein layers of sperm plasma membrane. Additionally changes in DNA can be induced (Sanocka and Kurpisz, 2004). Mammalian sperm cells have high content of specific lipidic composition of polyunsaturated fatty acids, plasmalogenes and sphingomyelins (Aitken etal., 1989).This unusual structure of sperm membrane is responsible for its flexibility and the functional ability of sperm cells, However, spermatozoa's lipids, are the main substrates for peroxidation, that may provoke severe functional disorder of sperm (Aitken etal.,1989). On the other hand, antioxidants, in general, are compounds and reactions which dispose, scavenge and suppress the formation of ROS or oppose their reactions (Sikka, 1996). Recently, dietetical antioxidants and their roles in free radical removal and prevention of tissue, cellular lesion have garnered attention especially for their usefulness in reproduction and management of infertility.Nigella sativa oil have known for their antioxidant properties in ameliorating inflammatory received 25/5/2005 accepted 28/2/2006 Mesopotamia J. of Agric (ISSN 1815-316 X) Vol. ( 34 ) NO ( 1 ) 2006 disease (EL-Dakhakhny etal., 2002).In addition, Mahmoud etal. (2002) pointed to the role of Nigella sativa oil against mice liver damage caused by Schistosoma mansoni infection by improving the immunological host system with its antioxidant effect. On the other hand, Black cumin seed oil enhances potency and have aphrodesiac action (Laver, 1984).The present study was designed to investigate the anti oxidative effect of Nigella sativa oil on testis, accessory sex glands, epididymal sperm characteristics in adult male rats exposed to oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide. MATERIALS AND METHODS 1.Extraction of oil from Nigella sativa seeds:The Nigella sativa seeds were purchased from local herb grocery in Mosul city.The seeds were ground in porcelain mortar.one Kg of the powdered seeds with appropriate amount of ethanol were heated to(80-90C ̊)in the extraction apparatus (soxhelet) (Maynard, 1970). Heating and extraction continued until uncoloured solvent was collected. This distillate was extracted by steam distillation until clear water was obtained. Moisture was removed by anhydrous sodium sulphate and the resultant extract was evaporated using water bath (40C ̊), this led to obtain the oil which was kept in a dark flask (Harvey and John,1998). The percentage of oil extracted was calculated by the following equation: Percentage of oil = ×100 The percentage of black seed oil was 12.7 %. 2. Experimental design: Twenty four male albino rats of 90-100 days of age were used, they were housed in polypropylene cages under controlled conditions of temperature(24-26C ̊)and natural lighting (10 hours light/14 hours dark)food and water were supplied ad libitum. The animals randomly divided into four groups (6 rats/group). The first group received normal saline and served as control.The second group received 0.5%H2O2 (Al shaheed factory-Iraq) in drinking water(Matkovics,1977).The third group received Nigella sativa oil (0.8ml/kg B.W) orally by gavage needle.The fourth group received 0.5%H2O2 in drinking water and Nigella sativa oil (0.8ml/kg B.W)orally by gavage needle. At the end of thirty days experimental period, the animals were scarificed by the ether administration and their weights were recorded.The abdominal cavity was opened, Testis, Epididymis (head, body,tail),prostate and seminal vesicle were immediately removed, trimmed, blotted in folds of filter paper and weight.Total epididymal head sperm count in 1ml was determined according to Sakamoto and Hashimoto oil weight

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Fadwa. Kh. TawfeeK

Papers

EFFECT OF Nigella sativa OIL TREATMENT ON THE SEX ORGANS AND SPERM CHARACTORS IN RATS EXPOSED TO HYDROGEN PEROXIDE