Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
JOURNAL OF APPLIED BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, cilt.17, sa.2, ss.257-265, 2023 (Hakemli Dergi)
Ghrelin is a polypeptide hormone mainly synthesised from the stomach. Ghrelin also affects carbohydrate metabolism, the gastrointestinal system, the cardiovascular system and cell proliferation. Currently, increasing levels of obesity coupled with sedentary lifestyles have led to increased interest in the study of appetite-controlling factors and herbal agents. One of this plants used for phytotherapy is black cumin (Nigella sativa, N. sativa). Thymoquinone is the principal bioactive component of black cumin seed essential oil. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the possible effects of different doses and routes of administration of thymoquinone on ghrelin expression in the stomach. Thirty-five adult female Sprague Dawley rats were divided into five groups as first group (1 mg/kg thymoquinone, ip), second group (2 mg/kg thymoquinone, ip), third group (10 mg/kg thymoquinone, ip), fourth group (20 mg/kg thymoquinone, gavage), and control group (no treatment) and each group consisted of 7 rats. The histological structure was demonstrated with Crossman's trichrome staining. The presence of ghrelin in stomach sections was demonstrated by using the streptavidin-biotin-complex immunohistochemical method. According to our results, the immunohistochemical reaction in epithelial and glandular cells was weak in all experimental groups compared to the control group. Based on our immunohistochemical findings, it is concluded that thymoquinone treatment in both routes of administration decreases the expression of stomach ghrelin. The observation of immunoreactions of different severity in experimental groups indicate that thymoquinone did not inactivate ghrelin in the stomach, but ghrelin expression varied according to the route of administration and dose.