Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Nigella sativa is a widely used medicinal plant with several potential therapeutic uses. This study aimed to investigate the possible beneficial cardioprotective effect of Nigella sativa in pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Sixty children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes were randomized into two groups: group I (n = 30) who received Nigella sativa seed oil 450 mg twice daily after meals for 3 months in addition to insulin, and group II (n = 30) who received insulin alone. Echocardiographic examinations were performed before and after the treatment. The lipid profile, malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, tumor necrosis factor-α, transforming growth factor-β, and troponin I were also measured before and after Nigella sativa treatment. RESULTS: After 3 months of Nigella sativa administration, group I had significantly lower cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, tumor necrosis factor-α, transforming growth factor-β, and troponin I levels compared with their pretreatment levels and compared with group II. In addition, group I had a significantly higher left ventricular E'/A' ratio and two-dimensional left ventricular global longitudinal strain (2D-LV GLS) compared with baseline values and compared with group II after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Nigella sativa can improve subclinical left ventricular dysfunction in pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: this clinical trial was registered at www.pactr.org with ID: PACTR202302478939306.