The Chemical Constituents and Pharmacological Effects of Nigella Sativa - a Review
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Journal of Bioscience and Applied Research , 2018, Vol.4, issue 4,, P.389-400 pISSN: 2356-9174, eISSN: 2356 -9182 389 Journal of Bioscience and Applied Research BioBacta www.jbaar.org The Chemical Constituents and Pharmacological Effects of Nigella sativa - A Review. Alyaa Majid* Department of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Thi-Qar, Iraq. Corresponding author email: [email protected]. ABSTRACT This review provides a brief account on the various properties and medicinal usage of the black cumin seed (Nigella sativa). The literature information indicated that seed was extensively used in ancient and recent history as an effective herbal remedy against a wide spectrum of ailments and disease conditions particularly in rural communities in the Asia, Middle East and some other parts of the world. The seed was reported to have numerous biological and pharmacological properties including antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, immunomodulatory and so many other beneficial medicinal effects. The therapeutic potential of the black cumin seed is mostly related to the presence of a number of pharmacologically active constituents such as thymoquinone, thymohydroquinone, dithymoquinone, thymol, nigellone and many other phytochemicals. The seed was also found to have a beneficial role in some aspects of poultry production such as improvement of body weight performance, feed conversion rate, carcass characteristics, egg production and egg quality when given as a feed additive. Keywords: Black seed, Black cumin, Nigella sativa, Chemical constituents, pharmacology. INTRODUCTION a universal remedy for all ailments, but cannot Nigella sativa (N. sativa) (Family prevent aging or death. Ranunculaceae) commonly known as black seed, Black seed is also known as the curative black have been used for thousands of years as a spice and cumin in the Holy Bible and is described as food preservative, as well as a protective and Melanthion by Hippocrates and Dioscorides and as curative remedy for several disorders. Traditionally, Gith by Pliny. During the last two decades, many there is a common Islamic belief that black seed is studies have been conducted, on the effect of N. sativa seed extracts on various body systems in vitro Journal of Bioscience and Applied Research , 2018, Vol.4, issue 4,, P.389-400 pISSN: 2356-9174, eISSN: 2356 -9182 390 or in vivo (1). Nigella sativa has been widely used Damascena, Devil in-the-bush, Wild Onion Seed (10). from the past to the present for various purposes, . including as a painkiller, and for anthelmintic, as an History of Nigella sativa appetiser, and for carminative, sudorific, digestive, It has been highlighted that N. sativa has the diuretic, emmenagogue, guaiacol, antifebrile, richest and most mystical history among all the galactagouge and cathartic uses. Nigella sativa is plants used in medicine. The N. sativa oil sample reported to decrease asthenia and depression, and to that was discovered in the remnants of increase body resistance (2). It has also been Tutankhamun’s tomb is indicative of its use since highlighted that the active substances of N. sativa ancient times. It is reported that N. sativa seed and have antibacterial, antifungal, antidiabetic, oil were used by Hippocrates to strengthen the liver, immunomodulator, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, to solve problems related to the digestive system, to antiviral, antioxidant, anticonvulsant, treat snake and scorpion stings, abscesses, skin antihypertensive, anticancer and antihyperlipidemic rashes, infections in the head, and the common cold. (3,4,5,6) effects . Due to these effects, N. sativa seed It has also been suggested that in later years, and oil have been used globally in the treatment of Penedius Dioscorides used N. sativa oil to relieve many diseases such as asthma, diarrhoea, dysentery, headache and toothache, to clear nasal congestion dyspepsia, fever, icterus, apoplexy, hemorrhoids and to destroy enterozoa. and cardiovascular, digestive, immune-system, N. sativa oil is also stated to have been used for liver, respiratory and kidney diseases(7). treatment by Ibni Sina to stimulate the metabolism Most of the therapeutic properties of this plant and to relieve asthenia and lethargy (11, 12, 13). are due to the presence of thymoquinone (TQ) Religious statements also highlight the important which is a major active chemical component of the properties of black cumin. The oil obtained from essential oil. Black seeds are also used in food like this plant is known to have been used by Cleopatra, flavoring additive in the breads and pickles because the Queen of Egypt, for health and beauty (14, 15). it has very low level of toxicity (8). Today, the black cumin seed and oil are assumed to Taxonomic Classification be an indispensable source in alternative medicine Kingdom Plantae for the treatment and prevention of various diseases. Subkingdom Tracheobionta Superdivision Spermatophyta Morphology of the plant Phylum Magnoliophyta N. sativa is an annual flowering plant grows at Class Magnoliopsida 20-90 cm tall, with finely divided leaves; the Order Ranunculales flowers are white, yellow, pink, pale blue or pale Family Ranunculaceae purple color, with 5-10 petals. The fruit is a large Genus Nigella and inflated capsule consists of 3-7 united follicles, Species N. sativa (9) each containing several seeds (14). Seeds are small Common names dicotyledonous, trigonus, angular, tubercular, black Black cumin, Fennel Flower, Nutmeg Flower, externally and white inside, odor slightly aromatic Black seed, Black Caraway, Roman Coriander, and taste bitter (16). Journal of Bioscience and Applied Research , 2018, Vol.4, issue 4,, P.389-400 pISSN: 2356-9174, eISSN: 2356 -9182 391 Fig 1: N. sativa flower Fig 2: N. sativa seeds Nigella sativa and its chemical composition Nigella sativa is also rich in unsaturated and essential fatty acids and studies indicate that the The N. sativa seed, depending on the region, volatile oil content ranges from 0.4% to 2.5% (21, 22). contains volatile (0.40%–0.45%) and non-volatile Various other reported chemical components (32%–40%) oils, protein (16.00%–20.85%), includes nigellone,avenasterol-5-ene, avenasterol- carbohydrates (31.0%–33.9%), fibre (5.50–7.94%), 7-ene, campesterol, cholesterol, citrostadienol, alkaloids, tannins, saponins, minerals such as iron, lophenol, obtusifoliol, stigmastanol, stigmasterol-7- calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc and copper ene, β-amyrin, butyro- spermol, cycloartenol, 24- (1.79%– 3.44%), vitamin A and C, thiamine, niacin, methylene-cycloartanol, taraxerol, tirucallol, 3-O- pyridoxine and folate (17, 18, 19, 20). [β-D-xylopyranosyl(1→3)-α-L- rhamnopyranosyl(1→2)-α-L-arabino-pyranosyl]- Journal of Bioscience and Applied Research , 2018, Vol.4, issue 4,, P.389-400 pISSN: 2356-9174, eISSN: 2356 -9182 392 28-O-[α- L-rhamnopyranosyl(1→4)- β-D- analgesics and anti-inflammatory, spasmolytic, glucopyranosyl(1→6)-β-D- gluco-pyranosyl] renal protective and antioxidant properties. hederagenin, volatile oil (0.5-1.6%), fatty oil (35.6- Anticancer effects of Nigella sativa 41.6%), oleic acid, esters of unsaturated fatty acids with C15 and higher terpenoids, esters of Cancer is considered to be one of the dehydrostearic and linoleic acid, aliphatic alcohol, health concerns that has rapidly become melanthin, melanthigenin, bitter principle, tannin, widespread. In 2013, half a million people resin, protein, reducing sugar, glycosidal saponin, died of cancer in America, and this rate is 3-O- [β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-L-rhamno- even higher in undeveloped countries and pyranosyl-(1→2)-β- D-glucopyranosyl]-11- 8.2 million people died of cancer methoxy-16, 23-dihydroxy-28-methylolean- 12- worldwide (26). Some studies showed that enoate,stigma-5, 22-dien- 3-β-D-gluco-pyranoside, Nigella sativa and its active component cycloart-23-methyl-7, 20, 22- triene-3β, 25-diol, thymoquinone are claimed to exhibit nigellidine-4- Osulfite, N. mines A3, A4, A5, C, N. anticancer activity by causing the death of (23, 24). mines A1, A2, B1 and B2 The most important cancer cells or by preventing genetic active constituents are thymoquinone(30%-48%), changes in normal cells (5). Thymoquinone thymohydroquinone, dithymoquinone, p- is considered to have antioxidant, cymene(7%-15%), carvacrol (6%-12%), 4-terpineol anticancirogenic and antimutagenic (2%-7%), tanethol(1%-4%), sesquiterpene properties. Many studies have shown that longifolene (1%-8%) α-pinene and thymol etc (24). N. sativa and thymoquinone have antioxidant properties, and that they Seeds contain two different types of alkaloids; increase the activities of antioxidant i.e. isoquinoline alkaloids e.g. nigellicimine and enzymes such as superoxide, dismutase, nigellicimine- N-oxide, and pyrazol alkaloids or catalase and glutathione peroxidase indazole ring bearing alkaloids which include Because oxidative stress has an effective nigellidine and nigellicine. Moreover, N. sativa role in the formation and development of seeds also contain alpha-hederin, a water soluble different cancer types and thymoquinone pentacyclic triterpene and saponin, a potential increases the activity of the antioxidant anticancer agent (25). enzymes mentioned above, the positive Pharmacological activities effects of N. sativa against cancer types possibly occurs via antioxidant effects (27, 28, N. sativa has been extensively studied for its 29, 30). biological activities and shown to possess