Effect of Nigella sativa supplementation on lung function and inflammatory mediatorsin partly controlled asthma: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Nigella sativa and its derivatives have been reported to have anti-inflammatory and bronchodilator effects, but the effects have been evaluated in only a few clinical studies. OBJECTIVES: To determine the effect of N sativa supplementation on inflammation of the airways and limitation of airflow in partly controlled asthma patients. DESIGN: Single-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study. SETTING: Asthma and allergy clinic of a university hospital in eastern Saudi Arabia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were divided into three groups. A control group (n=24) received the placebo, while NS-1 and NS-2 groups (n=26 each) received 1 and 2 g/day of N sativa, respectively, for 3 months along with maintenance inhaled therapy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Asthma control test (ACT) score, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), peak expiratory flow (PEF) variability and other pulmonary function tests, IgE, serum cytokines, and frequency of exacerbations. RESULTS: FEF25-75% and FEV1 (% predicted) increased significantly (P < .05) at both 6 and 12 weeks in the NS-2 group. PEF variability significantly improved in both NS-1 and NS-2 groups at 6 and 12 weeks as compared with the controls (P < .05). FeNO and serum IgE decreased significantly after 12 weeks in both the NS-1 and NS-2 groups vs baseline (P < .05). Both doses of N sativa produced a significant increase in the serum IFN-gamma at 12 weeks vs baseline (P < .05) as well as a significant improvement in the ACT score at 6 and 12 weeks vs baseline (P < .001, < .01). Significantly fewer patients had exacerbations in the NS-1 group (P < .05). CONCLUSION: N sativa supplementation with inhaled maintenance therapy improves some measures of pulmonary function and inflammation in partly controlled asthma. LIMITATIONS: No bronchoalveolar lavage or sputum samples taken for measurement of asthma markers. ISRCTN registry: ISRCTN48853858 DOI 10.1186/ISRCTN48853858.

Synergistic interaction of adenosine diphosphate-epinephrine and epinephrine-collagen in aggregation of human platelets.

BACKGROUND: Efficient hemostasis in human body depends on a complicated series of events which actively involve blood platelets. Platelets exhibit diverse responses in a variety of agonists. In vivo, most of the agonists act in synergism, causing aggregation of platelets. METHODS: In this study, the synergism between ADP-Epinephrine and Epinephrine-Collagen has been determined by means of turbidometric method, which measures changes in optical density of platelet suspension. The study was carried out at the department of Hematology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi. The subthreshold concentrations of each of the agonists were established with the help of dose response curve. By adding these agonists in subthreshold concentrations, the synergism between ADP-Epinephrine and Epinephrine-Collagen was determined. RESULTS: The combinations of these agonists in subthreshold levels showed the synergistic responses in causing platelet aggregation. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that the optimal platelet aggregation does occur between the above mentioned pairs of agonists even when each of the agonist is added to the other in subthreshold doses.