Abstract:
Endotoxemia caused by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) produced an inflammatory condition contributing to multiple
organ failure. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of thymoquinone (TQ), the main constituent
of Nigella sativa seeds, against LPS-induced hepatotoxicity. The obtained data revealed that LPS markedly
depleted liver reduced glutathione (GSH) and significantly increased the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and
the activity of caspase-3 enzyme in the liver. Serum tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and bilirubin levels
and the activities of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT) enzymes were
markedly increased in LPS-treated rats. TQ supplementation resulted in normalization of liver GSH and
decreases in the levels of MDA and caspase-3 activity in the liver with reduction of serum TNF-α, serum total
bilirubin and the actvities of ALP and γ-GTenzymes. Histopathological examination revealed that TQ
administration improved LPS-induced pathological abnormalities in liver tissues. The present study conclude
that TQ reduced acute endoxemia-induced liver dysfunction at least in part by its anti-inflammatory,
antiapoptotic and antioxidant activities.
