Neuroprotective Effect of Nigella sativa Essential Oil against Experimental Demyelination through Regulation of Endogenous Fatty Acid Levels in Rat Spinal Cord Tissue

Myelin degradation is one of the main causes of some neurological diseases. There is growing evidence that plant essential oils may reduce the risk of demyelination. In this experimental study, using a lipidomics approach, we investigated whether administration of Nigella sativa (NS) essential oil could improve changes in the profile of spinal fatty acids in demyelination model induced by intra-spinal administration of ethidium bromide (EB) in mice.

In this experimental study, 30 male rats were studied in five groups (n=6). The groups included control without treatment, solvent, and black seed essential oil (2, 5, and 10 ml/kg, intraperitoneally). The essential oil of NS was prepared and its fatty acid composition was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The animals underwent intra-spinal administration of ET 0.2%. At the end of the experiments, samples were taken from the spinal cord of the rats and the concentration of seven different types of fatty acids in the homogenate of the spinal cord was measured and compared between the groups.

Ethidium bromide disturbed the normal concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids, increased arachidonic acid derivatives, and decreased docosahexaenoic acid in rat spinal cord. Treatment with NS essential oil significantly prevented these changes in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.01).

NS essential oil protects against EB-induced demyelination by regulating the level of endogenous fatty acids in spinal tissue.