Table 2 Effect of Nigella sativa and thymoquinone on organ fibrosis

Pei et al. 2018 [38]

Doxorubicin (Dox)-induced heart failure in Sprague-Dawley rats.

50 mg/kg/day oral TQ.

1. Left ventricular functions.

2. Atherosclerotic lesion.

3. Fibrosis markers.

4. Apoptosis markers.

Treatment of TQ reverses Dox-induced pathological changes in the heart via inhibition of fibrosis and apoptosis.

TQ mitigates Dox-induced cardiac damage and fibrosis.

Abidi et al. 2017 [23]

Bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in Wistar rats.

1 mg/kg/day oral NSO.

1. Physical measurements.

2. Histological evaluation.

3. Liver metabolites.

4. Urine metabolites.

5. Expression of TGF-β1.

Treatment with NSO reverse bleomycin-induced pathological changes via induction of TGF-β1.

NSO have shown to resolve BLM-induced PF due to its anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic properties

Pourgholamhossein et al. 2016[42]

Paraquat-induced lung fibrosis in NMRI mice.

20 mg/kg/day and 40 mg/kg/day oral TQ.

1. Histological evaluation.

2. Oxidative stress analysis.

3. Hydroxyproline content.

4. Gene expression.

Treatment with TQ reverses paraquat-induced lung fibrosis inhibition of fibrosis and antioxidant activity.

TQ is able to reduce pulmonary fibrosis via its anti-fibrotic property.

Abdelghany et al. 2016 [40]

Carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced renal fibrosis in Wistar rats.

15 mg/ml oral TQ with or without 1000 IU/ml of Vitamin D3.

1. Liver function parameters.

2. Renal function parameters.

3. Histological assessment.

4. Cytokines level.

Treatment of TQ reverses CCl4-induced renal fibrosis via inhibition of inflammation.

TQ shows anti-fibrotic properties in carbon tetrachloride-induced renal fibrosis.

Al-Gayyar et al. 2016 [24]

Sodium nitrite (NaNO₂)-induced renal fibrosis in Sprague-Dawley rats.

2.5 ml/kg oral NSO.

1. Renal function parameters.

2. Fibrotic markers.

3. Cytokine levels.

4. Protein kinase activity.

5. Apoptosis markers.

Treatment with NSO reverses sodium nitrite-induced renal fibrosis via antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties.

NSO have been shown to resolve NaNO₂-induced nephrotoxicity.