Chemo-preventive Potential of Ethanolic Extract of Nigella sativum on N-nitroso Methyl Urea (NMU) Induced Breast Cancer in Female Albino Mice

Nigella sativa is one of the most important medicinal plants in the realm of pharmaceuticals because of the outstanding healing potential of seeds. This is so because the plant offers numerous therapeutic benefits due to its diverse content of bioactive compounds, including alkaloids, carbohydrates, flavonoids, glycosides, phenols, resins, saponins, sterols, tannins, and terpenes. This work aimed at evaluating the chemo preventive effect of the ethanolic extract of N. sativa on NNMU induced breast cancer in female albino mice. Mature, female Albino mice but were weighed, and their average was 22. 5g each; 30 mice were divided into 4 equal groups. Group 1 animal was the control which was given distilled water. Group 3-5 animals received N. sativa ethanolic extract orally at the doses of 50mg/kg, 100mg/kg, and 200mg/kg body weight respectively, and Group 4, received only cisplatin. Blood, mammary glands and liver tissues were collected regarding hematologic, antioxidant biomarkers and biochemistry. The current plant extract treatments reduced NMU induced oxidative stress as indicated by enhanced levels of serum SOD in the treatment groups compared to the cisplatin group. Determination of total protein in the serum of treated mice showed and elevation in the total proteins compared to control group. A reduction was noted in the haemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume, red blood cell count, mean cell volume, and mean cell haemoglobin in all groups, which was significant at 50mg/kg N. sativa and cisplatin groups compared to the control. Percentage of neutrophil and lymphocyte level also showed significant difference compared with cisplatin and control group. These results indicate that the ethanolic extract of N. sativa leaves has chemo preventive properties and can be advocated as a prophylactic antidote against breast cancer.