Nigella sativa (black cumin) seed extract alleviates symptoms of allergic diarrhea in mice, involving opioid receptors

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 7; no. 6; p. e39841
• Main Authors: Duncker, Swantje C, Philippe, David, Martin-Paschoud, Christine, Moser, Mireille, Mercenier, Annick, Nutten, Sophie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 29.06.2012; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Allergies; Animals; Asthma; Benzoquinones - pharmacology; Benzoquinones - therapeutic use; Biology; Biomarkers - metabolism; Black cumin seeds; Brain; Chemistry; Chymase; Chymases - metabolism; Cloning; Cytokines; Diarrhea; Diarrhea - complications; Diarrhea - drug therapy; Diarrhea - immunology; Endorphins; Enkephalins; Food; Food allergies; Food hypersensitivity; Food Hypersensitivity - complications; Food Hypersensitivity - drug therapy; Food Hypersensitivity - immunology; Hypersensitivity; Immunology; Interleukin 10; Interleukin 4; Interleukin 5; Intestine; Ligands; Lymphocytes; Male; Medicine; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Narcotics; Nigella sativa; Nigella sativa - chemistry; Opioid receptors; Ovalbumin; Ovalbumin - immunology; Permeability; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Extracts - therapeutic use; Plasma; Pretreatment; Receptors; Receptors, Opioid - agonists; Receptors, Opioid - metabolism; Receptors, Opioid, kappa - agonists; Receptors, Opioid, kappa - metabolism; Receptors, Opioid, mu - agonists; Receptors, Opioid, mu - metabolism; Rodents; Seeds; Seeds - chemistry; γ-Interferon
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0039841

The incidence of food hypersensitivity and food allergies is on the rise and new treatment approaches are needed. We investigated whether N. sativa, one of its components, thymoquinone, or synthetic opioid receptor (OR)-agonists can alleviate food allergy. Hence, ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized BALB/c-mice were pre-treated either with a hexanic N. sativa seed extract, thymoquinone, kappa-(U50'4889) or mu-OR-agonists (DAMGO) and subsequently challenged intra-gastrically with OVA. All 4 treatments significantly decreased clinical scores of OVA-induced diarrhea. N. sativa seed extract, thymoquinone, and U50'488 also decreased intestinal mast cell numbers and plasma mouse mast cell protease-1 (MMCP-1). DAMGO, in contrast, had no effect on mast cell parameters but decreased IFNγ, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-10 concentration after ex vivo re-stimulation of mesenteric lymphocytes. The effects on allergy symptoms were reversible by OR-antagonist pre-treatment, whereas most of the effects on immunological parameter were not. We demonstrate that N. sativa seed extract significantly improves symptoms and immune parameters in murine OVA-induced allergic diarrhea; this effect is at least partially mediated by thymoquinone. ORs may also be involved and could be a new target for intestinal allergy symptom alleviation. N. sativa seed extract seems to be a promising candidate for nutritional interventions in humans with food allergy.