29 Vol. XX, No. 1, January 2012 Mansoura J. Forensic Med. Clin. Toxicol. Abd-Elaleem et al ... transplantation (Oboh et al., 2010). However, its use also entails toxic man- ifestations such as immunotoxicity, tera- togenicity, genotoxicity, hepatotoxicity and urotoxicity (Bhatia et al., 2008). In the absence of adequate uroprotection, the in- cidence of urotoxic side effect of CTX var- ies from 2 to 40% in patients taking low INTRODUCTlON Cyclophosphamide (CTX) is an alky- lating agent and is the most common- ly used anticancer and immunosuppress- ant drug. It is used for treatment of chronic and acute leukemias, multiple myeloma, lymphomas, rheumatic arthritis and in the preparation for bone marrow PROTECTIVE ROLE OF NIGELLA SATIVA OIL IN CHRONIC CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE TOXICITY ON URINARY BLADDER AND LIVER'S RATS BY Shereen A. Abd-Elaleem, Hala M. Ahmed, Nashwa F. El-Tahawy*, Ahlam M. Abdalla** and Bothina A. Kamel ** Departments of Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology, Histology* and Biochemistry**, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Egypt ABSTRACT Cyclophosphamide is the most commonly used agent as antineoplastic chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to detect its chronic effect on urinary bladder & liver which included biochemical, histopatho- logical and immunohistochemical changes in adult rats and to evaluate the possible protective effects of nigella sativa oil (NSO). Fifty adult albino rates were assigned equally to 5 groups (control, physiologi- cal saline (0.15ml I.P daily), NSO (2ml/kg orally daily), Cyclophosphamide (15mg/kg I.P daily) and Cyclophosphamide + NSO (the same previous doses). All drugs were given for 8 weeks. By the end of 8th week, rats given cyclphosphamide alone had significantly higher MDA (malonodialdahyde), blood glucose level, liver functions and plasma lipid profile but it had lower reduced glutathione and hemoglo- bin concentration levels than the untreated control rats. Pre- treatment of cyclophosphamide with NSO had ameliorative effect on the studied parameters. Light microscopic examination revealed apoptotic like picture in urinary bladder and liver's rats induced by cyclophosphamide. Immunohistochemical study showed obvious high immunolabelling for activated Caspase-3 in the same organs. Mild apoptotic chang- es were observed in rats received combined cyclophosphamide and NSO (group V). Consequently, NSO significantly ameliorates chronic cyclophospamide toxicity. Key words: Cyclophosphamide, Liver, Urinary Bladder, Nigella Sativa Oil, Immunohistochemistry.