The Antidiabetic Effect of Mesenchymal Stem Cells vs. Nigella sativa Oil onStreptozotocin Induced Type 1 Diabetic Rats

Abstract

Introduction: Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder that has no definitive cure till present. Currently; regenerative medicine using Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) offers promising treatment. Meanwhile, Nigella Sativa Oil (NSO) shows effectiveness for medication of various illnesses. Objective: This study compares the antidiabetic effect of MSCs vs. NSO on streptozotocin induced type 1 diabetes (T1D) in rat model. Methods: Human cord blood samples were collected. Isolated mononuclear cells were cultured and incubated to isolate MSCs. For experimental animals; after induction of T1D using multiple low dose streptozotocin (MLD-STZ), diabetic rats were divided into 6 groups (n =10); diabetic group 1 and 2 (sacrificed 15 and 30 days post-induction, consequently), NSO treated groups 1 and 2 (received daily NSO I.P. injection, sacrificed 15 and 30 days postinduction, consequently), MSCs treated groups 1 and 2 (72 hours post-induction, animals were treated with twice intravenous injection of 1×106 cells/rat, 24 hours apart, without immunosuppression, sacrificed 15 and 30 days of induction, consequently). Results: Low blood glucose levels were detected in both MSCs and NSO groups, which reached near normal levels within 15 days. This was accompanied by improvement of the histopathological changes and increase in the immunreactive insulin secreting cells, obviously detected after 30 days. Conclusion: MSCs and NSO exerts comparable antidiabetic effects on Streptozotocin induced T1D.