ABSTRACT
Nigella sativa seeds have been in use as a natural remedy for over 4000 years in various parts of the world. These seeds are reported to benefit almost every system of the body; the present study was conducted to see the healing effects of Nigella Sativa in experimentally produced gastric ulcers with comparison to Cimetidine. It was an experimental study on 40 albino rats, performed in animal house of Postgraduate Medical Institute, Lahore. The animals were given Aspirin [0.2 gm/kg body weight] to produce ulcers. Four animals were killed after 2 weeks to confirm gastric ulcers by histopathology. The remaining animals [36] were equally divided in two groups and the 3 subgroups according to time schedule [2-6 weeks] for the treatment with Nigella Sativa [30 mg/kg body weight] and Cimetidine [15 mg/kg body weight]. Rats were anaesthetised and sacrificed at the end of experimental periods and the stomachs were removed, rinsed in lukewarm distilled water. Gross and microscopic examinations were performed to evaluate the results. On gross examination of stomach, 14/18 [78%] albino rats of group "A" [taking Nigella Sativa] did not reveal any abnormality due to complete response to Nigella sativa as compared to 17/18 [94%] of group "B" [taking Cimetidine]. On microscopic examination of stomach, 13/18 [72%] albino rats of group "A" [taking Nigella Sativa] revealed complete recovery as compared to 16/18 [89%] of group "B" [taking Cimetidine]. We concluded that Nigella sativa is equally effective in healing of gastric ulcer as is Cimitidine therefore we suggest the use of the N-sativa in the therapy of gastric ulcer disease in routine practice