Thymoquinone supplementation ameliorates acute endotoxemia-induced liver dysfunction in rats

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-alpha) and bilirubin levels and the activities of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (gamma-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-alpha, serum total bilirubin and the activities of ALP and gamma-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.