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The effect of Nigella sativa oil on serum levels of inflammatory markers, liver enzymes, lipid profile, insulin and fasting blood sugar in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver

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Abstract

Background

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the metabolic disturbances associated with inflammation. Nigella sativa (NS) seed oil has different chemical compounds including Thymoquinone (TQ), unsaturated fatty acids, and flavonoids. NSs are used as anti-inflammatory and antioxidants in medical sciences. This study aimed to investigate the effect of NS oil on several parameters in serum levels of patients with NAFLD.

Methods

Forty-four patients diagnosed with NAFLD participated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Patients were randomly assigned into two groups; one receiving NS oil and the other receiving placebo (paraffin oil), for 8 weeks. Blood samples were taken from the patients at the beginning and the end of the study. Afterwards, liver enzymes (ALT, AST, and GGT), inflammatory markers (Hs-CRP, TNF-α, and IL-6), insulin, lipid profiles (total cholesterol, triglyceride, VLDL, LDL-C, and HDL-C), FBS, and blood pressure were measured.

Results

Consumption of NS seed oil as supplement decreased the FBS level, lipid profiles (TG, TC, LDL, VLDL), liver enzymes (AST and ALT), hs-CRP inflammatory marker, IL-6, TNF-α, while it increased the HDL-C levels, compared to the placebo group (P < 0.05). Receiving NS oil had no significant effect on serum levels of insulin, blood pressure, and GGT in comparison with the beginning of the study (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

NS seed oil supplements may decrease the liver enzymes and lipid profiles in the patients with NAFLD and play a protective role in the liver via reducing the inflammation in this group of patients.

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Data availability

The datasets used and analyzed during the current study available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Abbreviations

NS:

Nigella sativa

WC:

waist circumference

HC:

hip circumference

WHR:

waist-to-hip ratio

BMI:

body mass index

TC:

Total cholesterol

TG:

Triglyceride

HDL-C:

High density lipoprotein cholesterol

LDL-C:

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol

VLDL-C:

very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol

AST:

aspartate aminotransferase

ALT:

alanine aminotransferase

GGT:

gammaglutamyl transpeptidase

TNF-α:

tumor necrosis factor-a

IL-6:

interleukin-6

hs-CRP:

high sensitivity C-reactive protein.

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Acknowledgements

This article was extracted from the Master’s thesis of Mohammad Rashidmayvan (student at Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences).

Funding

The financial support of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences is highly appreciated.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Diabetes Research Center, Health Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

    Mohammad Rashidmayvan

  2. Hyperlipidemia Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

    Majid Mohammadshahi

  3. Research Institute for Infectious Diseases of the Digestive System, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

    Seyed Saeed Seyedian

  4. Department of Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

    Mohammad Hossein Haghighizadeh

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  1. Mohammad Rashidmayvan
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  4. Mohammad Hossein Haghighizadeh
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All authors participated in the design, study, data acquisition and drafting manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mohammad Rashidmayvan.

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Approved by Institutional Ethical Committee of Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.: IR.AJUMS.REC.1395.695.

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Rashidmayvan, M., Mohammadshahi, M., Seyedian, S.S. et al. The effect of Nigella sativa oil on serum levels of inflammatory markers, liver enzymes, lipid profile, insulin and fasting blood sugar in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver. J Diabetes Metab Disord 18, 453–459 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40200-019-00439-6

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