Effects of Flaxseed and Black Cumin Oils on Pulmonary Fibrosis

Abstract: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive interstitial lung disease. Current treatments have limited efficacy, and the prognosis for this disease is poor, with a median survival of approximately 5 years. In this study, we set out to evaluate the preventive and curative effects of two fixed oils extracted from the seeds of Linum usitatissimum (flaxseed oil, "FLO") and the seeds of Nigella sativa (HNS), which are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), on an experimental model of bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis in Wistar rats. In the first part of this study, pulmonary fibrosis (PF) was induced by a single intratracheal injection of 4 mg/kg BLM. Biochemical analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) collected from groups treated with HL at a dose of 2 mL/kg body weight/day (groups P and T) revealed an anti-inflammatory response, as evidenced by increased levels of proline, glucose, and glycerides. These results are consistent with those of the histological and immunohistochemical analyses, which showed a significant decrease in the fibrosis score (FS).