Study of the protective effect of Nigella sativa against Cimetidine induced reproductive toxicity in male mice

The present study was designed to investigate some histopathological changes produced by cimetidine on male reproductive organs (testes & epididymis) in mice and extended to examine wherethere using of aqueous suspension of powdered Nigella sativa seeds have ability to reduce this toxicity.Forty male mice were divided into 4 groups. The first group received 25 mg/kg B.W. of cimetidine orally once daily. The second group drenched aqueous suspension of Nigella sativa at dose of 1000mg/kg B.W. and then received cimetidine. While the third group drenched Nigella sativa aqueous suspension once daily, while fourth group (control group) received normal saline only and the study was continued for (76 days). Animals which were treated with cimetidine only along the period of experiment showed sever pathological changes, particularly in testes and epididymis, whereas oral administration of the aqueous suspension of Nigella seeds aqueous suspension significantly reduced these changes which reflected by obvious increment of spermatogonia and reducing the damage of seminiferous tubules. The protective activity of Nigella sativa has been resumed via diminishing the reproductive histopathological changes associated with long-term of treatment with cimetidine.