Evaluation of Antimicrobial and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Seed Extracts from Six Nigella Species
21 May 2009-Journal of Medicinal Food (Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 140 Huguenot Street, 3rd Floor New Rochelle, NY 10801-5215 USA)-Vol. 12, Iss: 2, pp 408-415
TL;DR: N. arvensis chloroform extract was the most potent among all species tested, inhibiting Gram-positive bacterial and yeast strains with minimum inhibitory concentration values ranging from 0.25 to 1 mg/mL.
Abstract: Seed extracts from six species of the genus Nigella (Family Ranunculaceae)-Nigella arvensis, Nigella damascena, Nigella hispanica, Nigella nigellastrum, Nigella orientalis, and Nigella sativa-obtained by successive extraction with n-hexane, chloroform, and methanol, were tested for their antimicrobial activity against 10 strains of pathogenic bacteria and yeast using the microdilution method as well as for anti-inflammatory properties by in vitro cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2 assay. Chemical characterization of active extracts was carried out including free and fixed fatty acid analysis. Comparison of antimicrobial activity showed that N. arvensis chloroform extract was the most potent among all species tested, inhibiting Gram-positive bacterial and yeast strains with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 0.25 to 1 mg/mL. With the exception of selective inhibitory action of n-hexane extract of N. orientalis on growth of Bacteroides fragilis (MIC = 0.5 mg/mL), we observed no antimicrobial activity for other Nigella species. Anti-inflammatory screening revealed that N. sativa, N. orientalis, N. hispanica, N. arvensis n-hexane, and N. hispanica chloroform extracts had strong inhibitory activity (more than 80%) on COX-1 and N. orientalis, N. arvensis, and N. hispanica n-hexane extracts were most effective against COX-2, when the concentration of extracts was 100 microg/mL in both COX assays. In conclusion, N. arvensis, N. orientalis, and N. hispanica seeds, for the first time examined for antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects, revealed their significant activity in one or both assays.
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TL;DR: Extensive basic and clinical studies on N. sativa seed powder, oil, extracts, and thymoquinone showed valuable therapeutic effects on different disorders with a wide range of safe doses, however, there were some confounding factors in the reviewed clinical trials.
206 citations
Cites background from "Evaluation of Antimicrobial and Ant..."
...In addition, the plant has been shown to have antimicrobial, anti- inflammatory, and antioxidant properties (Chakravarty, 1993; Landa et al., 2009; Rakhshandeh et al., 2011; Randhawa and Alghamdi, 2011; Salem, 2005)....
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TL;DR: It is aimed to review literature and experimental data of scientific research about the basic and clinical evidence of N. sativa and its constituents on preventive (anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory) and relieving effects on obstructive respiratory diseases.
80 citations
TL;DR: The findings show, for the first time, that N. sativa administration exerts potent inhibitory effects on rat tumor development and on cellular proliferation in multiple organ sites, with the ability to significantly inhibit murine colon, lung, esophageal and forestomach tumors was demonstrated in the post-initiation phase, with no evidence of clinical side effects.
Abstract: Nigella sativa (N. sativa) is a herbal plant of the Ranunculaceae family that has been widely used for various medicinal and nutritional purposes. Volatile oil extracts along with its major constituents, such as thymoquinone, have recently attracted considerable attention for their antioxidant, immunoprotective and antitumor properties. The present study was conducted to assess the chemopreventive potential of crude oils in N. sativa on tumor formation using a well-established rat multi-organ carcinogenesis model featuring initial treatment with five different carcinogens. Post-initiation administration of 1000 or 4000 ppm N. sativa volatile oil in the diet of male Wistar rats for 30 weeks significantly reduced malignant and benign colon tumor sizes, incidences and multiplicities. The treatment also significantly decreased the incidences and multiplicities of tumors in the lungs and in different parts of the alimentary canal, particularly the esophagus and forestomach. Bromodeoxyuridine labeling indices, reflecting cell proliferation were significantly decreased in various organs and lesions after treatment with the two doses of N. sativa. The plasma levels of insulin growth factor, triglycerides and prostaglandin E2 were also altered. The findings show, for the first time, that N. sativa administration exerts potent inhibitory effects on rat tumor development and on cellular proliferation in multiple organ sites. In particular, the ability to significantly inhibit murine colon, lung, esophageal and forestomach tumors was demonstrated in the post-initiation phase, with no evidence of clinical side effects. The mechanisms are likely to be related to suppression of cell proliferation.
41 citations
TL;DR: The inhibitory effect of N. sativa seed extract on the contraction induced by PE and KCl was endothelium-independent and this relaxation was mediated mainly through the inhibition of Ca2+ and KATP channels and also intracellular calcium release.
Abstract: Objective. The aim of this study was to elucidate the mechanism(s) responsible for the vasorelaxant effect of Nigella sativa (N. sativa). Methods. The activity of different concentrations of N. sativa extract was evaluated on contractile responses of isolated aorta to KCl and phenylephrine (PE). Results. The extract (2–14 mg/mL) induced a concentration dependent relaxation both in endothelium-intact and endothelium-denuded aortic rings precontracted by PE (10−6 M) and KCl (6 × 10−2 M). Extract reduced PE- and KCl-induced contractions in presence of cumulative concentrations of calcium (10−5–10−2 M) significantly. L-NAME and indomethacin had no effect on vasorelaxation effect of extract in PE-induced contraction. Diltiazem and heparin reduced significantly this vasorelaxation at a concentration of 14 mg/mL of extract; however, N. sativa-induced relaxation was not affected by ruthenium red. Tetraethylammonium chloride reduced the extract-induced relaxation in concentrations of 2–6 mg/mL of extract significantly but glibenclamide reduced this relaxative effect in all concentrations of extract. Conclusions. The inhibitory effect of N. sativa seed extract on the contraction induced by PE and KCl was endothelium-independent. This relaxation was mediated mainly through the inhibition of Ca2
40 citations
Cites background from "Evaluation of Antimicrobial and Ant..."
...sativa has been extensively studied for its biological activities and therapeutic potential and has been shown to possess a wide spectrum of activities such as anti-inflammatory [3], reduced ischemia-reperfusion injury [4], antioxidant [5, 6], antiepileptic [7], antibacterial [8], antihistaminic [9], antinociceptive [10], antidiabetic [11], hepatoprotective [12], and smooth muscle relaxant [9, 13] effects....
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TL;DR: An ad hoc working group of Istituto Superiore di Sanità was requested to provide a technical and scientific opinion on plant safety and the listed plants were evaluated on the basis of their use in food, therapeutic activity, human toxicity and in no-alimentary fields.
Abstract: In Italy most herbal products are sold as food supplements and are subject only to food law. A list of about 1200 plants authorised for use in food supplements has been compiled by the Italian Ministry of Health. In order to review and possibly improve the Ministry's list an ad hoc working group of Istituto Superiore di Sanita was requested to provide a technical and scientific opinion on plant safety. The listed plants were evaluated on the basis of their use in food, therapeutic activity, human toxicity and in no-alimentary fields. Toxicity was also assessed and plant limitations to use in food supplements were defined.
30 citations
References
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TL;DR: A rapid evaluation for antioxidants, using two TLC screening methods, showed that thymoquinone and the components carvacrol, t‐anethole and 4‐terpineol demonstrated respectable radical scavenging property.
Abstract: The essential oil of black cumin seeds, Nigella sativa L., was tested for a possible antioxidant activity. A rapid evaluation for antioxidants, using two TLC screening methods, showed that thymoquinone and the components carvacrol, t-anethole and 4-terpineol demonstrated respectable radical scavenging property. These four constituents and the essential oil possessed variable antioxidant activity when tested in the diphenylpicrylhydracyl assay for non-specific hydrogen atom or electron donating activity. They were also effective.OH radical scavenging agents in the assay for non-enzymatic lipid peroxidation in liposomes and the deoxyribose degradation assay. GC-MS analysis of the essential oil obtained from six different samples of Nigella sativa seeds and from a commercial fixed oil showed that the qualitative composition of the volatile compounds was almost identical. Differences were mainly restricted to the quantitative composition.
1,807 citations
TL;DR: The past, present and future of medicinal plants are analyzed, both as potential antimicrobial crude drugs as well as a source for natural compounds that act as new anti-infection agents.
1,665 citations
01 Jan 1995
721 citations
TL;DR: The extract showed antibacterial synergism with streptomycin and gentamicin and showed additive antibacterial action with spectinomycin, erythromycin, tobramycin, doxycycline, chloramphenicol, nalidixic acid, ampicillin and sulphamethoxyzole-trimethoprim combination.
400 citations
TL;DR: Black cumin seed essential oil (BCSEO) was found to produce a significant analgesic effect in acetic acid‐induced writhing, formalin and light tail flick tests, and it seems that mechanism(s) other than opioid receptors is involved in the analgesics effect of BCSEO since naloxone could not reverse this effect.
Abstract: The steam-distilled essential oil of Iranian black cumin seed (Nigella sativa L) was investigated for its composition and analgesic and antiinflammatory properties After oil analysis by GC/MS, 20 compounds were identified in the oil, obtained in 04% (v/w) yield Among them, para-cymene (373%) and thymoquinone (137%) were the major components Acetic acid-induced writhing, formalin and light tail flick tests were used for assessment of analgesic activity Antiinflammatory activity was evaluated using carrageenan-induced paw oedema in rats and croton oil-induced ear oedema in mice Black cumin seed essential oil (BCSEO) was found to produce a significant analgesic effect in acetic acid-induced writhing, formalin and light tail flick tests Naloxone, an opioid antagonist, could not reverse the analgesic effect observed in the formalin test Although oral administration of BCSEO at doses of 100, 200 and 400 micro L/kg did not exert a significant antiinflammatory effect in the carrageenan test, ip injection of the same doses significantly (p < 0001) inhibited carrageenan-induced paw oedema BCSEO at doses of 10 and 20 micro L/ear could also reduce croton oil-induced oedema It seems that mechanism(s) other than opioid receptors is (are) involved in the analgesic effect of BCSEO since naloxone could not reverse this effect Both systemic and local administration of BCSEO showed antiinflammatory activity Thymoquinone, as one of the major components of BCSEO, probably has an important role in these pharmacological effects
362 citations