Antioxidant Effects of Thymoquinone in Lower Extremity Reperfusion Injury in Rats: An Examination of SOD and MDA Levels
Tuna Demirkiran1, Tayfun Ozdem11Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Health Sciences, Gulhane Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Türkiye
Objectives: Reperfusion injury (RI) refers to the damage caused when blood flow is restored to previously ischemic tissues. This damage is primarily due to oxidative stress. Thymoquinone (TQ), an active compound from Nigella sativa seeds, has shown antioxidant properties. This study investigates the effect of TQ on oxidative stress in a rat model of lower extremity reperfusion injury by analyzing SOD and MDA levels. Methods: Thirty male Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into five groups: Sham (S), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), ischemia-reperfusion (IR), Thymoquinone Sham (TQ-S), and IR+TQ (TQ administered intraperitoneally 1h pre-ischemia). Results: MDA parameter increased significantly (p < 0.001) in the samples from the IR group compared to the S group. However, TQ treatment significantly reduced (p < 0.05) this increase. The mean SOD activity in the IR+TQ group exhibited the highest SOD activity compared to the S group, and the difference was significant (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: The present study evaluated the effects of TQ treatment on oxidative stress in case of lower extremity reperfusion injury by measuring SOD activity and MDA levels. The findings suggest that TQ treatment may play an important role in reducing oxidative stress and preventing lipid peroxidation, thus reducing cell damage. Keywords: Malondialdehyde, oxidative stress, superoxide dismutase, thymoquinone
Cite This Article
Demirkiran T, Ozdem T. Antioxidant Effects of Thymoquinone in Lower Extremity Reperfusion Injury in Rats: An Examination of SOD and MDA Levels. EJMI. 2025; 9(1): 24-28
Corresponding Author: Tuna Demirkiran