Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences
J. Anim. Plant Sci. [ISSN 2071 - 7024]
Volume 3 (3): 227 - 230. Published July 15, 2009.
The effect of dietary Nigella sativa seeds on the blood cholesterol and lipoprotein levels of rabbits
Khadiga A. Abdel Ati*, A.E. Mustafa**, H.E. Mohamed**^
*Department of Animal Nutrition, Faculty of Animal production, University of Khartoum, P.O. Box 32, Shambat, Sudan; **Department of Animal Production, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University; Saudi Arabia
^Corresponding author email:hmohamedd@ksu.edu.sa
SUMMARY
The present study investigated the effects of dietary Nigella sativa seeds on levels of cholesterol and lipoproteins in the blood of rabbits. Eighteen healthy female New Zealand white rabbits, 5-6 months of age were randomly allotted into two treatments of nine animals each, with three animals per replicate. The rabbits were fed on diets supplemented with N. sativa seeds at one of two levels (0.0 and 2.5%), or 15 gram of egg yolk. The experiment lasted for four weeks, and the blood samples were collected pre-treatment and at the end of the experimental period for the determination of serum total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, low density lipoprotein (LDL), and high density lipoprotein (HDL). The results showed that feeding rabbits on egg yolk increased serum levels of total cholesterol, triacylglycerol and LDL (P < 0.01), while HDL was not affected. Diet with N. sativa seeds showed insignificant effects on serum total cholesterol, triacylglycerol and LDL. However, HDL significantly increased (P < 0.05) after feeding on Nigella's seeds. This trial provides strong evidence supporting the use of N. sativa seeds in the amelioration of abnormal lipid metabolism.
Key words
Cholesterol, diet, lipid, Nigella sativa, rabbits
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