Nigella sativa Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Berberis aristata DC and Nigella sativa L. are officially listed in various Indian Pharmacopoeia and AYUSH official documents. Prescribed for different ailments for proven medicinal activities, they thus became part of polyherbal... more

Berberis aristata DC and Nigella sativa L. are officially listed in various Indian Pharmacopoeia and AYUSH official documents. Prescribed for different ailments for proven medicinal activities, they thus became part of polyherbal medications. With reverse pharmacology and scientific validation, more than 30 patents are filed on different formulations of B. aristata and granted. Nigella sativa L. has been broadly studied for its therapeutic potential and wide range of activities against cardiovascular, diabetic, cancer, and life style disorders. Thus, this study is aimed at standardizing B. aristata and N. sativa and their antineoplasia activity in 7, 12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced mouse models. Molecular docking was done using the Schrodinger program Maestro 9.0. Herbal extracts and essential oil (B. aristata and N. sativa) were standardized and quantified using high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) (CAMAG) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS) (Agilent 2010GC System) with validated methods. DMBA was administered orally once a week (1mg/ 200 µL) to each animal except the normal control. Hematology, histopathology, and immunoassays were performed, and data were analyzed and depicted with GraphPad and SPSS. In molecular docking, thymoquinone showed the highest docking score (9.519, 9.211, and 9.042, respectively) in the active site pockets of IL6 (PDB ID: 4CNI and 5FCU), TNF (PDB ID: 2AZ5), and VEGF (PDB ID: 4KZN). Out of all four target sites, thymoquinone and berberine showed good binding affinity with IL6 (PDB ID: 4CNI) compared to αand β-pinenes. HPTLC analysis of the hydroalcoholic extract showed the presence of berberine both qualitatively and quantitatively (5.4% berberine), and thymoquinone detected 0.17% in the N. sativa extract. GCMS for essential oil showed 26 compounds including ±pinene. Leukocytes and erythrocytes of N. sativa and B. aristata were analyzed, and significant improvements were recorded (P < 0.05) and graphically presented. Mean survival time was calculated by the Kaplan Meier method (119 days). Immunoassay analyses were conducted, namely, TNF-α and VEGF, and interpreted and marked.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women in the world and is one of the leading causes of death due to cancer. Health benefits have been linked to additive and synergistic combinations of phytochemicals in fruits and... more

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women in the world and is one of the leading causes of death due to cancer. Health benefits have been linked to additive and synergistic combinations of phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables. Nigella sativa has been shown to possess anti-carcinogenic activity, inhibiting growth of several cancer cell lines in vitro. However, the molecular mechanisms of the anti-cancer properties of Nigella sativa phytochemical extracts have not been completely understood. Our data showed that Nigella sativa extracts significantly inhibited human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell proliferation at doses of 2.5-5 μg/mL (P<0.05). Apoptotic induction in MDA-MB-231 cells was observed in a dose-dependent manner after exposure to Nigella sativa extracts for 48 h. Real time PCR and flow cytometry analyses suggested that Nigella sativa extracts possess the ability to suppress the proliferation of human breast cancer cells through induction of apoptosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the major, immune-mediated, demyelinating neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a well-established animal model of MS. The aim of the... more

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the major, immune-mediated, demyelinating neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a well-established animal model of MS. The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective and ameliorative effects of N. sativa seeds (2.8 g/kg body weight) in EAE-induced Wistar rats. EAE-induced rats were divided into: 1-EAE-induced rats ("EAE" group). 2-"N. sativa + EAE" group received daily oral administration of N. sativa 2 weeks prior EAE induction until the end of the experiment. 3-"EAE + N. sativa" group received daily oral administration of N. sativa after the appearance of first clinical signs until the end of the experiment. All animals were decapitated at the 28th day post EAE-induction. EAE was investigated using histopathological, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural examinations in addition to determination of some oxidative stress parameters i...

Nigella sativa (N. sativa) seed has been an important nutritional flavoring agent and natural remedy for many ailments for centuries in ancient systems of medicine, e.g. Unani, Ayurveda, Chinese and Arabic Medicines. Many active... more

Nigella sativa (N. sativa) seed has been an important nutritional flavoring agent and natural remedy for many ailments for centuries in ancient systems of medicine, e.g. Unani, Ayurveda, Chinese and Arabic Medicines. Many active components have been isolated from N. sativa, including thymoquinone, thymohydroquinone, dithymoquinone, thymol, carvacrol, nigellimine-N-oxide, nigellicine, nigellidine and alpha-hederin. In addition, quite a few pharmacological effects of N. sativa seed, its oil, various extracts and active components have been identified to include immune stimulation, anti-inflammation, hypoglycemic, antihypertensive, antiasthmatic, antimicrobial, antiparasitic, antioxidant and anticancer effects. Only a few authors have reviewed the medicinal properties of N. sativa and given some description of the anticancer effects. A literature search has revealed that a lot more studies have been recently carried out related to the anticancer activities of N. sativa and some of its ...

Diabetes mellitus is a common chronic disease affecting millions of people world wide. Standard treatment is failing to achieve required correction of blood glucose in many patients. Therefore, there is a need for investigating potential... more

Diabetes mellitus is a common chronic disease affecting millions of people world wide. Standard treatment is failing to achieve required correction of blood glucose in many patients. Therefore, there is a need for investigating potential hypoglycemic drugs or herbs to improve glycemic control in diabetic patients. Nigella sativa seeds were used as an adjuvant therapy in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 added to their anti-diabetic medications. A total of 94 patient were recruited and divided randomly into three dose groups. Capsules containing Nigella sativa were administered orally in a dose of 1, 2 and 3 gm/day for three months. The effect of Nigella sativa on the glycemic control was assessed through measurement of fasting blood glucose (FBG), blood glucose level 2 hours postprandially (2 hPG), and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Serum C-peptide and changes in body weight were also measured. Insulin resistance and beta-cell function were calculated usin the homeostatic mod...

Nigella sativa name as black seed or Kalonji seed belongs to family of rananculacea. It is widely grown in different part of world and is an annual herb cultivated in India and Pakistan, Phytochemically; it contains fixed oil, protein,... more

Nigella sativa name as black seed or Kalonji seed belongs to family of rananculacea. It is widely grown
in different part of world and is an annual herb cultivated in India and Pakistan, Phytochemically; it
contains fixed oil, protein, alkaloids saponin and essential oil. N. sativa has been reported to possess
potent antioxidant, hepatoprotective, antiparasitic, anticancer, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, antiparasitic,
analgesic and anti-inflammatory, anti-nociceptive, anti-ulcer, anti-histaminic etc. The present article
reviews on morphology, cultivation, chemical constituent and therapeutic potential as well as clinical
aspect and toxicity of N. sativa seed.

Nigella sativa seed and its active compounds have been historically recognized as an effective herbal panacea that can establish a balanced inflammatory response by suppressing chronic inflammation and promoting healthy immune response.... more

Nigella sativa seed and its active compounds have been historically recognized as an effective herbal panacea that can establish a balanced inflammatory response by suppressing chronic inflammation and promoting healthy immune response. The essential oil and other preparations of N. sativa seed have substantial therapeutic outcomes against immune disturbance, autophagy dysfunction, oxidative stress, ischemia, inflammation, in several COVID-19 comorbidities such as diabetes, cardio-vascular disorders, Kawasaki-like diseases, and many bacterial and viral infections. Compelling evidence in the therapeutic efficiency of N. sativa along with the recent computational findings is strongly suggestive of combating emerged COVID-19 pandemic. Also, being an available candidate in nutraceuticals, N. sativa seed oil could be immensely potential and feasible to prevent and cure COVID-19. This review was aimed at revisiting the pharmacological benefits of N. sativa seed and its active metabolites that may constitute a potential basis for developing a novel preventive and therapeutic strategy against COVID-19. Bioactive compounds of N. sativa seed, especially thymiquinone, α-hederin, and nigellidine, could be alternative and promising herbal drugs to combat COVID-19. Preclinical and clinical trials are required to delineate detailed mechanism of N. sativa's active components and to investigate their efficacy and potency under specific pathophysiological conditions of COVID-19.

Abstrak Ikan Mujair (Oreochromis mossambicus) merupakan organisme perairan tawar dan merupakan ikan yang telah beradaptasi luas di Indonesia karena kemampuan berkembangbiaknya yang cepat. Salah satu kendala dalam budidaya perikanan yakni... more

Abstrak Ikan Mujair (Oreochromis mossambicus) merupakan organisme perairan tawar dan merupakan ikan yang telah beradaptasi luas di Indonesia karena kemampuan berkembangbiaknya yang cepat. Salah satu kendala dalam budidaya perikanan yakni permasalahan yang timbul dalam meningkatkan ketahanan pangan dalam produk hewani diantaranya penyediaan pakan budidaya ikan yang mahal, sulit untuk didapat, dan kurang berkualitas, oleh sebab itu diperlukan bahan alternatif sebagai tambahan pakan untuk menjamin kegiatan budidaya. Salah satu bahan tambahan pada pakan yang dapat mendukung tingkat kelangsungan hidup dan laju pertumbuhan ikan mujair yakni jintan hitam (Nigella sativa) yang berperan sebagai antioksidan karena mengandung beberapa bahan aktif diantaranya, Thymoquinone, Dithymoquinone, Thymohidriquinone, dan Thymol (Endarti, 2009). Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh dari penambahan tepung jintan hitam pada pakan komersial terhadap tingkat kelangsungan hidup dan laju pertumbuhan spesifik ikan mujair (Oreochromis mossambicus). Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode eksperimental dengan menggunakan Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) dengan empat perlakuan dan lima ulangan. Dosis tepung jintan hitam yang digunakan yaitu P0(0%), P1(3,5%), P2(5,5%), dan P3(7,5%). Analisis data diolah dengan menggunakan ANOVA dan dilanjutkan Uji Jarak Berganda Duncan. Hasil dari penenlitian ini menunjukkan bahwa penambahan tepung jintan hitam pada pakan komersial ikan mujair selama 28 hari dapat meningkatkan kelangsungan hidup pada beberapa dosis tertentu serta laju pertumbuhan spesifik dianggap sama antar perlakuan. Tingkat kelangsungan hidup tertinggi didapatkan pada perlakuan P1 yakni mencapai 84% dengan penambahan tepung jintan hitam 3,5% pada pakan, sedangkan sampai dengan dosis 7,5% dapat mempertahankan nilai laju pertumbuhan spesifik ikan mujair yakni 1,964-2,152%.

Opioid dependence is one of the major social and psychiatric problem of society. Unfortunately there is no non opiate treatment available. For centuries man has used plants for their healing proprieties. These plants play a fundamental... more

Opioid dependence is one of the major social and psychiatric problem of society. Unfortunately there is no non opiate treatment available. For centuries man has used plants for their healing proprieties. These plants play a fundamental part in all treatment modalities, both ancient and modern. This study was conducted to find non opiate treatment for opiate withdrawal. Total 35 known addicts of opiates were included in the study. This study was based on DSM IV criteria for opioid dependence. This study demonstrates that non opioid treatment for opioid addiction decreases the withdrawal effects significantly. It further demonstrates that there are no changes in physiological parameters of subjects during treatment (BP, Pulse rate etc.). There is increased appetite but no significant weight gain in the subjects. Non opioid drug Nigella sativa is effective in long-term treatment of opioid dependence. It not merely cures the opioid dependence but also cures the infections and weakness f...

It is estimated by the World Health Organization (WHO) that most of the world's population depends on herbal medicine for their health care. Nigella sativa (N. sativa), also known as black-caraway and as " Kalonji, " is a well-known seed... more

It is estimated by the World Health Organization (WHO) that most of the world's population depends on herbal medicine for their health care. Nigella sativa (N. sativa), also known as black-caraway and as " Kalonji, " is a well-known seed all over the world. It is one of the most common medicinal plants worldwide and contains many useful chemical constituents that we can find in its fixed oil, such as thymoquinone, thymohydroquinone, dithymoquinone, thymol, nigellicine, carvacrol, nigellimine, nigellicine, nigellidine, and alpha-hederin. Due to these numerous important ingredients it was found that it affects different areas of our body and has many pharmacological effects as antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and wound healing effect and also for acne vulgaris, skin cancer, pigmentation, and many cosmeceutical applications. Based on the folklore usage of N. sativa seeds and oil, they are used in various systems of food and medicines. The aim of this article is to provide a detailed survey of the literature of cosmeceutical and external applications of N. sativa which is expected to stimulate further studies on this subject.

Background and Aim: Prophylaxis and disease prevention is an essential strategy among biorisk management in poultry farms that stimulate and maintain the birds' immunity. The aim of this study was to investigate the prophylactic, and... more

Background and Aim: Prophylaxis and disease prevention is an essential strategy among biorisk management in poultry farms that stimulate and maintain the birds' immunity. The aim of this study was to investigate the prophylactic, and immune-stimulant influence of Nigella sativa Linn. in broilers under biological stress.

Thymoquinone (TQ), the active constituent of Nigella sativa or black cumin exhibited cytotoxic effects in several cancer cell lines. In this study, the cytotoxicity of TQ in human cervical squamous carcinoma cells (SiHa) was investigated.... more

Thymoquinone (TQ), the active constituent of Nigella sativa or black cumin exhibited cytotoxic effects in several cancer cell lines. In this study, the cytotoxicity of TQ in human cervical squamous carcinoma cells (SiHa) was investigated. TQ was cytotoxic towards SiHa cells with IC50 values of 10.67±0.12 and 9.33±0.19μg/mL as determined by MTT assay and trypan blue dye exclusion test, respectively,

Objective: Helminthiasis is a now global problem mostl y in p oor countries. The main purpose of the presen t research is to investigate in-vitro anthelmintic activity of some plants of Indian origin. Methods: Differen t concentrations... more

Objective: Helminthiasis is a now global problem mostl y in p oor countries. The main purpose of the presen t research is to investigate in-vitro anthelmintic activity of some plants of Indian origin. Methods: Differen t concentrations (25, 50, 100 mg/mL) of all the five plant (Areca catechu, Tamarindus indica Linn, Daucus caro ta L., Nigella sativa Linn, Ocimum tenuiflorum) extracts diluted with 3% Tw een 80 in normal saline were used for th e anthelmintic activity. Albendazole was used as a reference standard and n ormal saline has been treated as control. Resu lts : The result was expressed in terms of time in minutes to report paralysis time and death time of earthworms. Ethanolic ex tracts of all the plant parts have exhibited a dose dep endent inhibition of spontaneous motility i.e. Paralysis of Earthworms. At the concen tration of 100mg/mL all the extracts excep t Daucus carota L. showed significant result (p<0.05) against earthworms. Conc lusions: The ethanolic ex tracts of all the five ethno-botanicals have been supported their folklore use and possess the anthelmintic activity. The presen t research also established a m ore potent candidature of Ethanolic extracts of seed of Ta marindus indica Linn. as compared to others. This study can be extended for the isolation of cond ensed Tannin which is particularly responsible for the activity.

Thymoquinone is the major active principle of Nigella sativa (N. sativa) and constitutes about 30% of its volatile oil or ether extract. N. sativa oil and seed are commonly used as a natural remedy for many ailments. Using modern... more

Thymoquinone is the major active principle of Nigella sativa (N. sativa) and constitutes about 30% of its volatile oil or ether extract. N. sativa oil and seed are commonly used as a natural remedy for many ailments. Using modern scientific techniques, a number of pharmacological actions of N. sativa have been investigated including immunostimulant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant, antihistaminic, antiasthmatic, hypoglycemic, antimicrobial and antiparasitic. There are only few reports regarding the toxicity of thymoquinone. The present study was carried out to determine LD50 of thymoquinone both in mice and rats, orally as well as intraperitoneall, by the method of Miller and Tainter. Autopsy and histopathology of liver, kidney, heart and lungs were also determined. The LD50 in mice after intraperitoneal injection was determined to be 104.7 mg/kg (89.7-119.7, 95% confidence interval) and after oral ingestion was 870.9 mg/kg (647.1-1094.8, 95% confidence interval). Whereas...

Nigella sativa (NS) is a commonly used herb in Asian and African countries. Extensive experimental studies have been done to shed light on its hepatoprotective, immunumodulator, antioxidant, antimicrobial and several other useful... more

Nigella sativa (NS) is a commonly used herb in Asian and African countries. Extensive experimental studies have been done to shed light on its hepatoprotective, immunumodulator, antioxidant, antimicrobial and several other useful pharmacological properties. However, there is dearth of evidence to evaluate the effect of Nigella sativa extract in neuropathic pain. In this study we have used neuropathic pain model of Wistar rats using intraperitoneal cisplatin injection twice weekly for 4.5 weeks. Animals were divided into six groups of six rats each. Ethanolic extract of Nigella sativa, pregabalin, tramadol or combination of pregabalin and tramadol were given orally in Wistar rats in which neuropathy had been induced by cisplatin i.p. injections for 4.5 weeks. Single dose of drugs were given and pain assessment was done by soft touch, crude touch, Eddy’s hotplate and tail flick analgesiometer at 0, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 240 minutes. Nigella sativa showed significant analgesic effect on cisplatin induced neuropathic pain in all the experiments however pregabalin and tramadol showed better efficacy

"The clinical bacteria of multi-drug resistant to some antibiotics are considered a common problem in the world wide. Alternative antibacterial strategies are urgently needed, and thus this situation has led to a re-evaluation of the... more

"The clinical bacteria of multi-drug resistant to some antibiotics are
considered a common problem in the world wide. Alternative
antibacterial strategies are urgently needed, and thus this situation
has led to a re-evaluation of the therapeutic use of ancient
remedies, such as plants and plant-based products, including
Nigella sativa (N. sativa). This study aimed to evaluate the
antibacterial activity of Yemeni N. sativa oil against some Clinical
Bacterial Isolates (CBI) and Control Strains of Bacteria (CSB) in
comparison with Augmentin® (Amoxicillin and Clavulanic Acid).
This study was carried out in Sana’a city during the period of one
year from May 2012 to April 2013. The antibacterial activity of oil
with different concentrations was determined by using disc agar
diffusion technique against CBI (Staphylococcus aureus and
Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and CSB (Staphylococcus aureus
ATCC25619, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC29737), also the
Minimum Inhibition Concentration (MIC) of oil extract was
determined. The results indicated that, the highest significant
antibacterial activity was at the maximum concentration of the oil
against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in
comparison with Augmentin ® discs (p < 0.05) respectively. This
study observed that, there was strong positive correlation between
the diameter zone (DZ-mm) and oil concentrations (%). In
addition, the DZ (mm) of the oil for CSB was higher than CBI.
Also the oil activity was found to be more effective against
Staphylococcus aureus than Pseudomonas aeruginosa. On the
other hand, the MIC of the oil against CBI were ranged between ≥
0.5% and 4%. Whereas, the CSB particularly Staphylococcus
aureus were sensitive to low concentrations of oil. It could be
concluded that, the oil had high antibacterial effect against CSB
and CBI with high concentration and more effective than
Augmentin® discs."

A larger number of medicinal plants and their purified constituents have been shown beneficial therapeutic potentials. Seeds of Nigella sativa, a dicotyledon of the Ranunculaceae family, have been employed for thousands of years as a... more

A larger number of medicinal plants and their purified constituents have been shown beneficial therapeutic potentials. Seeds of Nigella sativa, a dicotyledon of the Ranunculaceae family, have been employed for thousands of years as a spice and food preservative. The oil and seed constituents, in particular thymoquinine (TQ), have shown potential medicinal properties in traditional medicine. In view of the recent literature, this article lists and discusses different immunomodulatory and immunotherapeutic potentials for the crude oil of N. sativa seeds and its active ingredients. The published findings provide clear evidence that both the oil and its active ingredients, in particular TQ, possess reproducible anti-oxidant effects through enhancing the oxidant scavenger system, which as a consequence lead to antitoxic effects induced by several insults. The oil and TQ have shown also potent anti-inflammatory effects on several inflammation-based models including experimental encephalomyelitis, colitis, peritonitis, oedama, and arthritis through suppression of the inflammatory mediators prostaglandins and leukotriens. The oil and certain active ingredients showed beneficial immunomodulatory properties, augmenting the T cell- and natural killer cell-mediated immune responses. Most importantly, both the oil and its active ingredients expressed anti-microbial and anti-tumor properties toward different microbes and cancers. Coupling these beneficial effects with its use in folk medicine, N. sativa seed is a promising source for active ingredients that would be with potential therapeutic modalities in different clinical settings. The efficacy of the active ingredients, however, should be measured by the nature of the disease. Given their potent immunomodulatory effects, further studies are urgently required to explore bystander effects of TQ on the professional antigen presenting cells, including macrophages and dendritic cells, as well as its modulatory effects upon Th1- and Th2-mediated inflammatory immune diseases. Ultimately, results emerging from such studies will substantially improve the immunotherapeutic application of TQ in clinical settings.

tHelicobacter pylori, a spiral-shaped Gram-negative bacterium, has been classified as a classI carcinogen by the World Health Organization and recognized as the causative agent forpeptic ulcers, duodenal ulcer, gastritis,... more

tHelicobacter pylori, a spiral-shaped Gram-negative bacterium, has been classified as a classI carcinogen by the World Health Organization and recognized as the causative agent forpeptic ulcers, duodenal ulcer, gastritis, mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphomas,and gastric cancer. Owing to their alarming rate of drug resistance, eradication of H.pylori remains a global challenge. Triple therapy consisting of a proton pump inhibitor,clarithromycin, and either amoxicillin or metronidazole, is generally the recommendedstandard for the treatment of H. pylori infection. Complementary and alternative medicineshave a long history in the treatment of gastrointestinal ailments and various compoundshas been tested for anti-H. pylori activity both in vitro and in vivo; however, their successfuluse in human clinical trials is sporadic. Hence, the aim of this review is to analyze the roleof some well-known natural products that have been tested in clinical trials in preventing,altering, or treating H. pylori infections. Whereas some in vitro and in vivo studies in theliterature have demonstrated the successful use of a few potential natural products for thetreatment of H. pylori-related infections, others indicate a need to consider natural products,with or without triple therapy, as a useful alternative in treating H. pylori-related infections.Thus, the reported mechanisms include killing of H. pylori urease inhibition, inductionof bacterial cell damage, and immunomodulatory effect on the host immune system.Furthermore, both in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated the successful use of somepotential natural products for the treatment of H. pylori-related infections. Nevertheless,the routine prescription of potential complementary and alternative medicines continuesto be restrained, and evidence on the safety and efficacy of the active compounds remainsa subject of ongoing debate.

The loss of the ability for learning and memory is a prominent feature of dementia, which affects millions of individuals all over the world, due to either neurodegenerative diseases or brain injury. Although a lot of information is known... more

The loss of the ability for learning and memory is a prominent feature of dementia, which affects millions of individuals all over the world, due to either neurodegenerative diseases or brain injury. Although a lot of information is known about the pathology involved, treatment remains elusive at best. The Black Seed of Nigella sativa has been historically and religiously used for thousands of years for preventing and treating many different kinds of diseases. This review article looks at Nigella sativa and its potential role in facilitating learning and memory. The possible use of this seed's extract or compounds isolated from it, such as thymoquinone, for treating damaged brain neural tissue is discussed. The evidence presented in this paper appears to be supporting the hypothesis that this plant and/or its bioactive constituents can enhance learning and memory in health and disease in animals and humans.

1. Aflatoxins’ (AFs) are metabolites which especially have toxic effects on proteins, and are detoxified by the aflatoxin-B1 aldehyde reductase (AFAR) pathway. In this pathway, the aldo-keto reductase family 7, member A2 (AKR7A2) enzyme... more

1. Aflatoxins’ (AFs) are metabolites which especially have toxic effects on proteins, and are detoxified by the aflatoxin-B1 aldehyde reductase (AFAR) pathway. In this pathway, the aldo-keto reductase family 7, member A2 (AKR7A2) enzyme is controlled by nucleic-related erythroid factor 2 (Nrf2) plays an active role. However, data on the efficacy of this critical pathway in broilers is limited. 2. The aim of the following study was the changes in the expression levels of AKR7A2, Nrf2, and caspase-3, and the effects of Nigella sativa seeds (NS), thymoquinone (TMQ), and bentonite (BNT) on expression were investigated in broilers exposed to AFs. 3. One-hundred broilers were divided into ten groups (control (CNT); AF; NS; TMQ; BNT; AF+TMQ; AF+NS; AF+BNT; AF+BNT+NS; AF+BNT+TMQ) and fed for 28 d. AF. TMQ, NS and BNT were added to diets at levels of 2 mg/kg, 300 mg/kg, 50 g/kg and 10 g/kg respectively. 4. The addition of AF to the diet decreased AKR7A2 and Nrf2 levels dramatically, but increased caspase-3 (P&lt;0.01). TMQ, NS and BNT additions to the diet eliminated all negative effects caused by AF (P&lt;0.01); and AKR7A2 and Nrf2 were further raised in TMQ and NS groups when compared to the control group. TMQ and NS showed a positive effect on detoxification parameters when given together with BNT. 5. Supplementation with NS and TMQ enhanced AF detoxification via the AFAR pathway, by increasing AKR7A2 and Nrf2 levels, in addition to reducing hepatocyte apoptosis.

Objective: Staphylococcus aureus is one of the major resistant pathogens extremely adaptable to antibiotic pressure. Nigella sativa (black cumin) seed extracts and essential oil have been shown to possess antimicrobial activity against... more

Objective: Staphylococcus aureus is one of the major resistant pathogens extremely adaptable to antibiotic pressure. Nigella sativa (black cumin) seed extracts and essential oil have been shown to possess antimicrobial activity against several bacteria but little work has been done on their effect against multidrug resistant S. aureus strains isolated from patients. So, we studied antibacterial activity of Nigella sativa against multidrug resistant clinical strains of Staphylococcus aureus. It was an experimental, in vitro study. Materials and methods: Nigella sativa (black cumin) seed essential oil and extracts were tested in varying dilutions against 40 clinical strains of Staphylococcus aureus which were isolated from patients attending a tertiary care teaching hospital in North India using disc agar diffusion technique on inoculated Muellar Hinton agar plates under standard laboratory conditions. The tested strains were resistant to 4 or more clinically used antibiotics belonging to at least 3 different classes. Results: The Methanolic extract and oil of Nigella sativa were found active against 38 and 35 multi-drug resistant strains respectively. Both the oil and Methanolic extract showed remarkable dose dependant antibacterial activity against the tested strains up to a dilution of 1:50 as evident from the zones of inhibition. Conclusion: Nigella sativa possesses antibacterial activity against multidrug resistant clinical strains of Staphylococcus aureus

Volatile halocarbon, bromobenzene (BB), is frequently encountered in table-ready foods as contaminants residues. The objective of this study was to investigate whether black seed oil could attenuate hepato-renal injury induced by BB... more

Volatile halocarbon, bromobenzene (BB), is frequently encountered in table-ready foods as contaminants residues. The objective of this study was to investigate whether black seed oil could attenuate hepato-renal injury induced by BB exposure. The evaluation was done through measuring liver oxidative stress markers: reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA). Hepatic succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), lactate dehydrogenases (LDH) and glucose-6-phosphatase (G-6-Pase) were estimated. Serum aspartate and alanine aminotransferases (AST, ALT) and alkaline phosphatase were also evaluated. Kidney function indices; blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, serum protein, nitric oxide (NO), Na-K-adenosine triphosphatase (Na+-K+-ATPase) and phospholipids were done. Liver and kidney histopathological analysis and collagen content were analyzed for results confirmation. Treatment with black seed oil (BSO) alleviated the elevation of GSH, SDH, LDH, G-6-Pase, serum pr...

The objective of our study was to evaluate the effects of Nigella sativa seeds (NS) supplementation on meat quality and antioxidants content of chicken meat. Two hundred 1-d-old male broiler chicks were divided into four diet treatment... more

The objective of our study was to evaluate the effects of Nigella sativa seeds (NS) supplementation on meat quality and antioxidants content of chicken meat. Two hundred 1-d-old male broiler chicks were divided into four diet treatment groups: normal control (baseline feed only), NS supplemented
(1 and 2%) groups and a standard (200 IU/kg vitamin-E) VE group. At the end of this period, 10 birds were randomly selected from each group for examination. Feed conversion ratio was significantly lower in the treatment groups than the control one. There were no significant differences in moisture or crude ash percentage in thigh muscle among groups, but dietary NS powder supplementation resulted in a significant increase in crude protein content and decrease in
crude fat content relative to the control group (p<0.05). After 24 h, thigh muscle pH was higher while drip loss, cooking loss and shear force were lower in the NS groups than the control group.
Lightness values of thigh muscle colour were decreased and redness and yellowness values were increased by NS supplementation. Muscle lipidperoxidation (malondialdehyde) level, which is correlated with significantly higher levels of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase, were
significantly lower (p<0.001) in the NS groups and VE group than the normal group. These results suggest that NS supplementation is effective at improving broiler performance and meat quality by enhancing antioxidant activities and suppressing lipidperoxidation in meat.