Nigella sativa, a Jack of All Trades Plant in Medicine: Pharmacological
Aspects in Diseases Treatment and Prevention

Morteza      Akhzari; Shiva      Mohammadi; Sajad      Jalili; Mahdi      Barazesh; Karim      Noorizadeh
doi:10.2174/2210315513666221005093047
Abstract

Nigella sativa L. (Ranunculaceae) is one of the most widely used traditional therapeutic plants. It possesses important classes of bioactive compounds, among which thymoquinone, as the major bioactive component of the essential oil, has attracted noteworthy attention due to its active role in treating various disorders. N. sativa can induce a wide range of pharmacological functions, including anti-oxidative stress responses, antidiabetic, anticancer, cell apoptosis, increased membrane permeability, immunomodulatory, analgesic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, spasmolytic, bronchodilatory, hepato-protective, renal protective, gastro-protective, and antioxidant properties. The seeds of N. sativa, commonly known as black seed or black cumin, show many potential pharmacological roles and are utilized in folk (herbal) medicine all over the world for the treatment and prevention of a various range of diseases and conditions, including asthma, cancers, inflammatory situations, type 2 diabetes mellitus disorders, bacterial and viral infections, and dyslipidemia. This review outlines the main pharmacological properties of N. sativa and its components due to their potential wide applications for a large variety of human diseases. The seeds constitute fixed and essential oils, proteins, alkaloids and saponin. Much of the biological function of the seeds has been demonstrated to be due to thymoquinone. Beneficial influences of the seeds application and thymoquinone might be contributed to their cytoprotective and antioxidant functions and their effect on immune response and some inflammatory mediators.
Keywords: Black seed, pharmacological effects, thymoquinone, medicinal plant, natural products, Nigella sativa.
Graphical Abstract

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DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/2210315513666221005093047	Print ISSN 2210-3155
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The Natural Products Journal

Nigella sativa, a Jack of All Trades Plant in Medicine: Pharmacological Aspects in Diseases Treatment and Prevention

Abstract

Graphical Abstract

Recent Advances in Biotransformation of Bioactive Terpenoids using Aspergillus niger

The Natural Products Journal

Nigella sativa, a Jack of All Trades Plant in Medicine: Pharmacological Aspects in Diseases Treatment and Prevention

Abstract

Graphical Abstract

Call for Papers in Thematic Issues

Recent Advances in Biotransformation of Bioactive Terpenoids using Aspergillus niger

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