Nigella sativa L. (Ranunculaceae) Black Caraway, Black Cumin, Fennel Flower, Nutmeg Flower, Roman Coriander (Medicine)

Nigella sativa L. (Ranunculaceae) Black Caraway, Black Cumin, Fennel Flower, Nutmeg Flower, Roman Coriander

Medicinal Uses (Black Cumin) —

This herb apparently may be even more important to the Muslims than to the Christians and Jews. According to an Arab proverb, “in the black seed is the medicine for every disease except death.” Small wonder that the literature regards it as carminative, diaphoretic, digestive, diuretic, emmenagogue, excitant, lactagogue, laxative, resolvent, stimulant, stomachic, tonic, and vermifuge. Over a century ago, we find the following formula for eczema and head lice: 2 oz bruised Nigella seed, 2 oz bruised Psoralea seed, 2 oz bdellium, 2 oz Coscini root, 1 oz sulfur in two bottles of coconut oil (DEP). In Ayurvedic medicine, where used as a purgative adjunct, the herb is considered aperitif, aromatic, carminative, emmenagogue, and vermifuge. In Unani, it is further considered abortifacient and diuretic and used for ascites, coughs, eye-sores, hydrophobia, jaundice, paralysis, piles, and tertian fever. Algerians take the roasted seeds with butter for cough, with honey for colic. Lebanese took the seed extract for liver ailments. In Indonesia, the seeds are added to astringent medicines for abdominal disorders. In Malaya, the seeds are poulticed onto abscesses, headache, nasal ulcers, orchitis, and rheumatism. Ethiopians mix the seed with melted butter, wrap it in a cloth, and sniff it for headache. Arabian women use the seeds as a galactagogue. Mixing curry (which contains fenugreek) with black cumin for nurses, the Indians had a double whammy lactagogue. In large quantities, the seed are also used to induce abortion. The lipid portion of the ether extract of black cumin seeds has shown lactagogue activity in rats, verifying its folk usage as a lactagogue. And Nigellone in the oil protects guinea pigs against histamine induced bronchospasms, suggesting the rationale behind its use in asthma, bronchitis, and cough.
El Tahir et al. (1993b) reported that the volatile seed oil (ivn 4-32 |J.l/kg) dose-dependently stimulated respiratory rate and intratracheal pressure. Strangely, ivn thymoquinone (1.6-6.4 mg/kg) significantly increased intratracheal pressure but did not affect the respiratory rate. The oil-induced respiratory effects may be due to histamine release and indirect activation of mus-carinic cholinergic mechanisms. They suggest that removing the useful thymoquinone would make the residual oil a useful respiratory stimulant (X8270170). Gilani et al. (2001) note that the “Kalonji” seed are used traditionally for asthma. The crude extract caused a dose-dependent (0.1-3.0 mg/ml) relaxation of spontaneous contractions in rabbit jejunum. The petroleum ether fraction was some 10 times more active than the crude extract. The seeds exhibit bronchodilator and antispasmodic activities mediated possibly through calcium channel blockade, proving the utility of the seed for diarrhea and asthma (X11381824).
De et al. (1999) screened 35 Indian spices for antimicrobial activity. Black cumin, bishop’s weed, camboge, celery, chilli, clove, cinnamon, cumin, garlic, horseradish, nutmeg, onion, pomegranate, tamarind, and tejpat proved to have potent antimicrobial activities against the test organisms Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 6633), Escherichia coli (ATCC 10536), and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ATCC 9763). Such results confirm traditional uses of spices as food preservatives, disinfectants, and antiseptics (X10548758).
Cardiovascular activity of the volatile oil has been examined. Intravenous administration of the oil at 4-32 |Jl/kg or thymoquinone at 0.2-1.6 mg/kg lowered arterial blood pressure and heart rate dose-dependently. The oil has potential as being an antihypertensive agent (X8270171). Oil administration significantly decreased serum total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, and triglycerides and significantly elevated serum HDL (X11050701).
El-Dakhakhny et al. (2000) reported positive effects of the seed oil on gastric secretion and ethanol induced ulcers in rats. The oil led to significant increases in mucin and glutathione decreases in mucosal histamine. Ethanol administration produced 100% ulcers in all rats. They also note that black cumin oil protects against induced hepatotoxicity and improves serum lipid profile in rats. Daily oil administration (800 mg/kg orally for 4 weeks) did not adversely effect alkaline phos-phatase, serum bilirubin or prothrombin activity, or serum transaminases (ALT and AST). Thymo-quinone has been shown to be hepatoprotective, at least against hepatotoxicity of carbon tetrachlo-ride in mice (Mansour, 2000).
Abuharfeil et al. (2001) found that aqueous extracts of nigella, (used in Jordanian traditional medicine for cancer) augmented natural killer cells and showed cytotoxic activity against tumor targets. The seed extracts augmented splenic NKCs (62.3% cf 52.6% for garlic extracts, and 30.6% for onion extracts) (PR15:109). Worthen et al. (1998) found that both thymoquinone and dithymo-quinone are cytotoxic for several types of human tumor cells, and may not be MDR substrates, making them useful either alone or in conjunction with drugs to MDR has developed. Thymoquinone inhibited induced forestomach carcinogenesis in mice (Badary and Gamal, 2001). Thymoquinone also prevented fibrosarcoma induced by 20-methylcholanthrene in male Swiss albino mice (Badary and Gamal, 2001). The seeds are rich in sterols (5100 ppm), of which 63.1% is the antitumor sterol, beta-sitosterol. Nigella seems effective at killing certain cancer cells while leaving normal cells intact. It helps reduce or prevent toxicity of some toxic anticancer drugs, e.g., protecting bone marrow against chemotherapy. Seed extract enhance immune response, with increased activity of T-helper and NMKCs cells, and interferon-like responses. U.S. Patent No. 5,482,711 (January 1996) and No. 5,653,981 (August 1997) concern immunostimulant features of black cumin extracts. Cisplatin, a widely used chemotherapeutic drug, can be toxic to the kidney. When administered ip for 5 alternate days with 3 mg/kg cisplatin, cysteine (20 mg/kg) together with vitamin E (2 mg/rat), an extract of Crocus sativus stigmas (50 mg/kg), and Nigella sativa seed (50 mg/kg) significantly reduced blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine levels as well as cisplatin-induced serum total lipids increases. Given together with cisplatin, the protective agents led to an even greater decrease in blood glucose than seen with cisplatin alone. The serum activities of alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase of cisplatin-treated rats were significantly decreased, whereas the activities of glutathione reductase and isocitrate dehydrogenase were significantly increased. The combination also partially reversed many of the kidney enzymes changes induced by cisplatin and tended to protect from cispl-atin-induced diminutions in leucocyte counts, haemoglobin levels, and mean osmotic fragility of erythrocytes. They concluded that cysteine and vitamin E, Crocus sativus and Nigella sativa could be useful reducing cisplatin-toxic side effects including nephrotoxicity (El Daly, 1998).
The crude fixed oil and its pure thymoquinone both inhibited the cyclooxygenase and 5-lipoxy-genase pathways of arachidonate metabolism (in rat peritoneal leukocytes stimulated with calcium ionophore A23187, as shown by dose-dependent inhibition of thromboxane B2 and leukotriene B4, respectively). The thymoquinone was quite potent, with approximate IC50 values against 5-lipoxy-genase and cyclooxygenase of <1 ng/ml, and 3.5 |Jg/ml respectively. Thymoquinone was some tenfold more potent. Since the inhibition of eicosanoid generation and lipid peroxidation by the fixed oil is greater than would be expected from its content of thymoquinone (ca. 0.2% w/v), there must be synergy or other contributing phytochemicals, supporting the traditional use of the seed and derivatives for rheumatism and other related inflammatory diseases (Houghton et al., 1995). The seeds contain ca. 1.5% melanthine, a bad smelling fish poison.


Indications (Black Cumin) —

Achylia (f; MAD); Allergy (f; HAD); Ameba (1; MPI); Amenorrhea (f; KAP); Anorexia (1; HAD); Arthrosis (1; HAD); Ascites (f; BIB); Asthma (1; HAD; HHB; MAD; SKJ; WOI); Bacillus (1; X10548758); Bacteria (1; HAD); Biliousness (f; KAP); Bite (f; HAD); Bronchosis (1; FNF; HAD; HHB; WOI); Bronchospasm (1; WOI); Cachexia (f; SKJ); Callus (f; BIB; JLH); Cancer (1; ABS; BIB; FNF; HAD); Cancer, abdomen (1; FNF; JLH); Cancer, colon (1; FNF; JLH); Cancer, eye (1; FNF; JLH); Cancer, liver (1; FNF; JLH); Cancer, nose (1; FNF; JLH); Cancer, uterus (1; FNF; JLH); Candida (1; ABS); Cardiopathy (1; X8270171); Catarrh (f;
DEP; HHB); Childbirth (f; SUW); Cholera (1; MPI); Cold (f; DEP); Colic (f; BIB); Constipation
(f; SKJ); Corn (f; BIB; JLH); Cough (1; SKJ; WOI); Cramp (1; FNF; HHB; MAD); Dermatosis (f; HAD; SUW; WOI); Diabetes (1; HAD); Diarrhea (1; MAD; X11381824); Dysentery (f; HHB;
SKJ); Dysmenorrhea (f; DEP; KAP); Dyspepsia (f; BIB); Eczema (f; DEP); Emaciation (f; SKJ);
Enterosis (f; BIB; MAD); Eruption (f; BIB); Escherichia (1; KAP; MPI); Fever (1; BIB; MAD; SUW; WOI); Fibrosarcoma (1; X11531013); Flu (f; BIB); Fungus (1; X10548758); Gas (f; MAD); Gout (1; HHB); Headache (f; BIB); Hemorrhoid (f; BIB); Hepatosis (1; BIB; JLH; MAD;
X10883736); High Blood Pressure (1; MPI; X82701710); High Cholesterol (1; HAD); HIV (1;
HAD); Hydrophobia (f; BIB); Hyperlipidemia (1; X10755708); Induration (f; JLH; MAD); Infection (1; HAD); Inflammation (1; X10552840); Jaundice (f; BIB; HHB; MAD); Leprosy (f; SKJ); Leukemia (1; X1270717); Leukorrhea (f; MAD); Lice (f; DEP); Malaria (f; KAP); Mycosis (1; X10548758); Myrmecia (f; BIB); Nephrosis (1; X10755708); Obesity (1; FNF); Ophthalmia (f; HAD); Orchosis (f; BIB); Pain (1; HAD); Paralysis (f; BIB); Parasite (1; HAD); PMS (1; HAD); Proctosis (f; SKJ); Prolapse (f; SKJ); Proteinuria (1; X10755708); Pityriasis (f; DEP); Puerperium (1; WOI); Pulmonosis (f; HAD; HHB; MAD); Rhinosis (f; BIB); Salmonella (1; HAD); Sclerosis (f; BIB); Smallpox (f; SKJ); Snakebite (f; BIB); Sniffle (f; MAD); Splenosis (f; MAD); Staphylococcus (1; HAD; MPI); Sting (f; HAD; SUW); Stomachache (f; BIB; MAD); Stomatosis (f; HAD); Swelling (f; BIB); Syphilis (f; SKJ); Toothache (f; MAD); Tumor (f; BIB; HAD); Vibrio (1; MPI); Virus (1; HAD); Worm (f; MAD); Wound (f; HAD) Yeast (1; X10548758).

Black Cumin for asthma:

• Antiasthmatic: nigellone; thymoquinone
• Antibronchitic: nigellone; thymol; thymoquinone
• Antihistaminic: nigellone; rutin; thymoquinone
• Antioxidant: rutin; thymol; thymoquinone
• Antispasmodic: nigellone; rutin; thymol; thymoquinone
• Cyclooxygenase-Inhibitor: thymol; thymoquinone
• Expectorant: astragalin; thymol
• Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor: rutin; thymoquinone

Black Cumin for cancer:

• Antiaggregant: thymol
• Anticancer: carvone; d-limonene; indole-3-acetic-acid; rutin
• Antihepatotoxic: rutin
• Antiinflammatory: alpha-spinasterol; cycloartenol; hederagenin; rutin; thymol
• Antileukemic: astragalin
• Antimelanomic: d-limonene; thymol
• Antimutagenic: rutin
• Antioxidant: rutin; thymol; thymoquinone
• Antitumor: d-limonene; rutin
• Antiviral: rutin
• Cyclooxygenase-Inhibitor: thymol; thymoquinone
• Immunostimulant: astragalin
• Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor: rutin; thymoquinone
• Sunscreen: rutin
• Topoisomerase-II-Inhibitor: rutin

Other Uses (Black Cumin) —

Widely cultivated for its aromatic seeds, used whole or ground as a flavoring, especially in oriental cookery. The tiny seeds are very hot to the palate and are sprinkled on food like pepper. In Europe, they are sometimes mixed with real pepper. They were used like black pepper before the introduction of black pepper. French once used the black cumin in lieu of black pepper under the name “uatre epices” or “toute epices.” Whole seeds (fitches) are used in Russian rye bread and for flavoring Turkish breads. Called “siyah daneh” or “onion seed,” they are sprinkled on cakes, flatbreads, and rolls. Arabs mix the seed with honey as a confectionary. Seeds also used in Armenian string cheese, Tel banir, Haloumi, other cheeses, chutneys, curries, pickles, preserved lemons, and vegetables. Ethiopians add them to capsicum pepper sauces. Seeds may be used as a stabilizing agent for edible fats. A reddish-brown and semi-drying fatty oil is obtained from the seeds with benzene and subsequent steam distillation of the extract to remove about 31% of the volatile oil. Ethiopians may add Nigella, Aframomum, Piper, and Zingiber to local alcoholic beverages. Indians use them in a spice mixture called “panch phoran” (FAC). Sudanese use in such fermented foods as abreh, hulu-mur, and mish (FAC). Seeds are sprinkled among woolens as a moth repellant (BIB, WOI). In the Bible, Ezekiel recites a recipe I have seen nowhere else, “Take thou unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentiles, and millet, and fitches, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof… And thou shalt eat it as barley cakes….” Bean bread, good for the heart; the more you eat the less you infarct.
For more information on activities, dosages, and contraindications, see the CRC Handtopic of Medicinal Herbs, ed. 2,  et al. 2002.

Cultivation (Black Cumin) —

More often wild crafted than cultivated, this annual weed only partially fits the spice definition, but it is the seeds that are used. Seed can be sown in spring or fall, in situ, in well-drained sunny soil. A short-lived annual, it seeds within less than three months.

Chemistry (Black Cumin) —

The EO alone contains four antioxidants that scavenge free radicals: antheole, carvacrol, 4-terpineol, and thymoquinone (Burits and Bucar, 2000). Here are a few of the more notable chemicals found in black cumin. For a complete listing of the phytochemicals and their activities, see the CRC phytochemical compendium,  and , 1993 (DAD) and the USDA database.
Anethole — See also Osmorhiza spp.
Arginine — Antidiabetic; Antiencephalopathic; Antihepatosis; Antiinfertility 4 g/day; Antioxidant; Aphrodisiac 3 g/day; Diuretic; Hypoammonemic; Pituitary-Stimulant; Spermigenic 4 g/day.
Carvacrol — See also Cunila origanoides.
Carvone — Antiacetylcholinesterase IC50 = 1.4-1.8 mM; Anticancer; Antiseptic (1.5 x phenol); Carminative; CNS-stimulant; Insecticide; Insectifuge; Motor-Depressant; Nematicide MLC = 1 mg/ml; Sedative; Trichomonicide LD100 = 300 ng/ml; Vermicide. LD50 = 1640 orl rat.
Methionine — Anticancer; Anticataract; Antidote (Acetominaphen; Paracetamol) 10 g/16 hr/man/orl; Antieczemic; Antihepatosis; Antioxidant; Antiparkinsonian 1-5 g day; Emetic; Essential; Glutathionigenic; Hepatoprotective; Lipotropic; Urine-Acidifier 200 mg/3x day/man/orl; Urine-Deodorant.
Nigellone — Antiasthmatic; Antibronchitic; Antihistaminic; Antispasmodic.
4-Terpineol — Antiasthmatic; Antioxidant; Antiradicular; Diuretic; Insectifuge.
Thymoquinone — Antibronchitic; Antifibrosarcomic 15 \iM; Antihistaminic; Antinephrotic; Anti-oxidant; Antiproteinuric; Antiradicular; Antispasmodic; Antitumor IC50 = 78-393 | M; Cardiode-pressant 0.2-1.6 mg/kg ivn rat; Chemopreventive 15 \\M; Choleretic; Detoxicant 15 \\M; Glutathio-genic 15 |jM; Hepatoprotective; Hypolipidemic; Hypotensive 0.2-1.6 mg/kg ivn rat; MDR-Inhibitor IC50 = 78-393 |jM; Quinone-Reductase-Inducer 15 |jM; Toxic; Uricosuric.

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