Natural approach for Calcium regulating hormone maintenance: Beneficial effects of Black seed

Introduction: Menopause is a permanent cessation of menstruation with thedecreasing of ovarian follicular functions. Hormone Replacement Therapy(HRT) is the most effective method in reducing the rate of bone loss in postmenopausalwomen with increasing the risks of breast cancer and uterinehyperplasia. So it is necessary to find a suitable treatment which is mimic tothe estrogen role in maintaining normal calcium balance without its sideeffects.Objectives: objective of the study was to determine the effect of Black seedon calcium homeostasis by measuring the level of calcium regulatinghormones, i.e. calcitonin, PTH; and serum calcium concentration inmenopause induced animal model.Methods and Materials: Thirty six ovariectomized (OVX) Sprague-Dawleyfemale rats with 250 – 350 g of weight were supplemented with Black seedfor 28 days. The rats were divided into 6 group as followed; Non-OVX + 0mg/day Black seed, OVX + 0 mg/day Black seed, OVX + 300 mg/day Blackseed, OVX + 600 mg/day Black seed, OVX + 1200 mg/day Black seed and OVX+ 0.05 mg/day Estradiol valerate. Statistical analyses have done through 2-way ANOVA using SPSS.Results: A significant PTH reduction was revealed with 1200 mg/day Blackseed treatment (p<0.05). A significant increase of calcitonin level on day 28 of600 and 1200 mg/day of Black seed treatment groups was noted incomparison with control group (p<0.05). Meanwhile serum calciumsignificantly increased (p<0.05) with supplementation duration on day 20 and28 compared to day 0 of supplementation.Conclusion: In conclusion, although the study does not completely describingthe whole spectrum of osteoporotic pathogenesis prevalence, the study hasreflected Black seed as a probable candidate possessing estrogenic-activity inregulating calcium-regulating hormones, responsible for calcium homeostasisfor menopausal women