Effects of Nigella sativa oil on rat liver development

Nigella sativa and its oil are frequently consumed among the people. However, its toxic effect on fetus is not known when used during pregnancy. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of Nigella sativa oil on the liver development of rat fetus. Ten female rats were used in this study, four of them consist of control group and six of them composed of the experimental group. When the pregnancy was started, 2.5 ml/kg/day saline or 2.5 ml/kg/day Nigella sativa oil were administered by oral orogastric route for control and experimental groups, respectively. After deliveries, newborn rats were weighed and sacrificed by cervical dislocation. Livers, obtained from newborn rats, were fixed with formalin and embedded with paraffin wax to prepare blocks. Sections obtained from liver blocks were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and Masson trichrome, and examined by light microscope. There were no statistically significant differences between groups in histopathological findings of liver tissues of newborns, except hydrophic degeneration, when the groups were compared. In conclusion, using Nigella sativa oil during pregnancy do not produce toxic effects on fetus liver.