Nigella sativa oil mitigates xerostomia and preserves salivary function in radiotherapy‐treated mice

Objective This study aimed to assess if Nigella sativa oil (NSO), a health supplement containing thymoquinone as a major component, can act as a protective agent in salivary gland stem cells following radiotherapy (RT) damage. Methods Forty, 10‐week‐old, male C3H/HeJ mice were randomized to four experimental groups: sham RT + H2O gavage (control) (N = 4); 15 Gy RT + H2O gavage (N = 12); sham RT + NSO gavage (N = 12); and 15 Gy RT + NSO gavage (N = 12). Weight changes, saliva production, and salivary gland histopathologic staining were recorded for each group over the course of the experiment. Results All mice in the sham RT + H2O gavage and sham RT + NSO gavage groups demonstrated 100% 60‐day survival. RT + H2O compared to RT + NSO gavaged mice were significantly underweight by an average of 6.4 g (p