Title:Nigella Sativa (Black seeds) – Potential Herb to Help Weight Loss
Volume: 8
Issue: 4
Author(s): Naina Mohamed Pakkir Maideen*
Affiliation:
- Dubai Health Authority, P.O. Box: 4545, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Keywords:
Nigella sativa, black seeds, kalonji, overweight, obesity, weight loss, thymol, nigellone, thymoquinone.
Abstract: Obesity is associated with many diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia,
coronary heart disease, stroke, fatty liver disease, cancer, osteoarthritis and many others.
The prevalence of obesity is increasing every year among the global population. The persons being
overweight or obese may consider traditional herbal medicines as a good strategy to manage chronic
conditions due to various reasons. Nigella sativa (Black seeds) has been used to treat various conditions,
including obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, etc. Hence, the anti-obesity potential of
N. sativa is analyzed in this review. The databases, including Medline/PMC/PubMed, Google Scholar,
Science Direct, and reference lists, were searched to identify relevant randomized controlled
clinical trials. Significant reduction of body weight, body mass index and waist circumference have
been observed in many randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) by using N. sativa. Hence, the
individuals willing to reduce their body weight can effectively use N. sativa along with lifestyle
modifications.