Keywords:
Comet assay, DNA damage,
Nigella sativa
, Antioxidant
In the present study oxidative stress, DNA damage in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats and its repair after treating with ethanolic extract of Nigella sativa seed were evaluated via comet assay and estimation of SOD and TBARS. Blood lymphocytes of Streptozotocin (60 mg/kg BW) induced diabetic rats showed significant increase (p < 0.05) in DNA damage as evidenced by comet tail length, due to the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) leading to genotoxicity. Feeding rats with ethanolic extract of N. sativa seed (500 mg/kg BW) significantly (p < 0.05) improved the level of SOD and TBARS and decreased the comet tail length and percentage of comet cells, indicating the antioxidative and genoprotective potentiality of Nigella sativa seed.
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The author is grateful to the University Grant Commission, New Delhi, for providing financial assistance by granting major research project. (No. 37-325/2009 SR).