Effect of Nigella sativa oil on liver function and lipid profile in brown, albino and local rabbits: a comparative study

This study investigated the effects of Nigella sativa oil (NSO) on the metabolism of three rabbit breeds: Albino, Brown, and Local. A total of 48 rabbits were assigned to six groups and fed either a control diet or an NSO-supplemented diet (5 g/kg DM). Diets were alternated between groups every 15 days. Blood samples were analyzed for liver enzymes, kidney function parameters, lipid profile, thyroid hormones, and blood proteins. The results showed that NSO had no significant effect (P>0.05) on blood glucose, liver enzymes, or lipid profile. However, numerical differences were observed among breeds. Albino rabbits showed higher total cholesterol 83.6% and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (177.6%) compared with the Local breed (P≤0.01). Brown rabbits exhibited higher aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity (60-64%) than Albino rabbits (P≤0.02). Additionally, brown rabbits showed higher (51.2%) creatinine levels compared with Albinos (P≤0.0001). Uric acid levels slightly increased (15-18%) during the second treatment period. Protein levels remained relatively constant among groups; however, the brown breed had higher (P≤0.02) albumin levels (9%) than other breeds. In conclusion, rabbit breed had a greater influence on the measured parameters than dietary treatments which indicates that breed-specific genetic variations play an important role in such studies.