The Protective role of Nigella sativa versus Lepidium sativum on the submandibular salivary gland in hypercholesterolemic albino rat (Histological and Immunohistochemical study)

Background: Direct relation between hypercholesterolemia and hyposalivation was suggested. Phytosterols of herbal origin have been used as prophylactic or curative agents against many disorders. Objectives: Evaluate the protective role of Nigella sativa (Ns) versus Lepidium sativum (Ls) on the histological picture of submandibular salivary glands in hypercholesterolemic albino rat; and its immunomodulatory role of nuclear factor kappa B cell (NF-κB) and alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expression on the tissues. Materials and method: This study was performed with forty male albino rats, divided into four equal groups as follow: Group 1 (n=10): served as negative control, Group 2 (n=10): were fed with hypercholesteremic supplement (HCS) for 8 weeks. Group 3 (n=10): were fed HCS with oral administration of (Ns) seeds for 8 weeks. Group 4 (n=10): were fed HCS with oral administration of (Ls) seeds suspension for 8 weeks. Results: Histological results of submandibular salivary gland in group 2 revealed severe atrophic and degenerative changes in the secretory terminal portions & ducts. In group 3, the tissues appeared with nearly normal histological structures which reflect the beneficial effects of Ns. In group 4, a lesser degree of improvement was noticed with Ls. Quantitative analysis for α-SMA and NF-κB revealed highly statistically significant decrease in group 3 and 4 in comparison with group 2. Conclusion: The immunohistochemical finding confirmed the histological results of the present study that proved the superior protective effects of Ns rather than Ls seeds against hypercholesterolemia on the submandibular salivary glands of albino rats.