Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Science - Department of Biophysics

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune mediated, inflammatory demyelinating neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a well- established animal model of MS. The aim of the present study is to investigate the protective and therapeutic effects of Nigella sativa (N. sativa) seeds (2.8 g / kg body weight) in EAE-induced rats. EAE was induced by single subcutaneous injection in the tail base with 100 æg myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) containing 1 mg / ml of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Animals immunized with MOG were divided into 3 groups: 1- EAE-induced animals (2EAE3 group) received daily oral administration of distilled water until the end of the experiment. 2- The animals of the second group (2N. sativa + EAE3 group) received daily oral administration of N. sativa 2 weeks prior EAE induction till the end of the experiment. 3- Animals of the third group (2EAE + N. sativa3 group) received daily oral administration of N. sativa after the appearance of first clinical signs until the end of the experiment

Issued also as CD