Black seed oil eases doxorubicin-induced cardiac side effects in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

Treatment with black seed oil results in better systolic function, thus improving doxorubicin-induced cardiac toxicity in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, a study has shown.

Forty children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia participated in this study. Twenty patients received doxorubicin therapy and black seed oil 80 mg/kg/dose divided into three doses starting at the same time as doxorubicin infusion therapy initiation and continued for 1 week after each doxorubicin dose (group 1), and the remaining 20 were administered doxorubicin and placebo for 1 weeks after each doxorubicin dose (group 2).

These children also underwent conventional echo-Doppler measures of left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions and pulsed wave tissue Doppler of lateral mitral annulus.

The parameters of electrocardiograph, including ST segment and QT interval either before or after doxorubicin therapy, did not show any significant differences. No significant differences were found as well in echocardiographic parameters between group 1 and group 2 before therapy.

Furthermore, there were nonsignificant changes in parameters of diastolic function (E/A ratio or e/a ratio) following doxorubicin therapy in groups 1 and 2. However, significant reductions were seen in parameters of systolic function (EF, FS, and s wave) after doxorubicin therapy, which was more prominent in group 2 than in group 1.

“Multicentre studies are recommended to be done before we can recommend the use of black seed oil as an adjuvant therapy in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia under doxorubicin-based treatment protocol,” the authors said.

A well-established chemotherapeutic agent included in treatment protocols of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, doxorubicin is often limited by its cardiotoxic side effects.