NIGELLA SATIVA – History and Folklore
Nigella Sativa is an annual
flowering plant belonging to the family of Ranunculaceae. It is native to the
South and Southeast Asia. Some of the common names of Nigella Sativa seed are
Black Caraway, Black Seed, Black Cumin, Fennel-flower, Roman Coriander in
English, నలుపు జీలకర్ర, నల్ల విత్తనాలు
in Telugu, and Kalonji in Hindi.
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| NIGELLA SATIVA FLOWER |
The seed Nigella is used as a
condiment in Indian and Middle Eastern Cuisines. Black Seed and Black Sesame
are identical in appearance but differ in their taste. Black seeds have
pungent, bitter taste and smell.
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| NIGELLA SATIVA SEEDS / KALONJI / BLACK SEEDS |
The Black Seed has been used as traditional
medicine for centuries. The medicinal value of the Nigella seeds is recognized
since the time of Egyptian Pharaohs. History expounds that the black seed
oil was found in the Tutankhamen's tomb, to assist him in his afterlife. The
earliest written evidence to Nigella Sativa dates back to a book of Isaiah in
the Old Testament. The traditional branches of medicine like Unani, Ayurveda
and Siddha use black seed to cure many diseases. In old Latin black cumin is
referred as “Panacea” which means cure for all diseases.
The black seeds and the oil
control Diabetes, Hypertension, Cancer, inflammation, Hepatic dysfunctions,
arthritis, Kidney disorder, cardiovascular problems and skin troubles.
BLACK SEED MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
The seed contains essential
oils, proteins, alkaloiods and saponin. The pharmologically important
constituents present in the oil of Nigella Sativa are thymoquinone (TQ),
dithymoquinone (DTQ), thymohydroquinone (THQ), thymol (THY),carvacrol,
nigellimine, nigellicine, nigellidine and alphahederin.
Thymoquinone (TQ) is found to
possess anti-oxidant, anti-carcenogenic, anti-inflammatory and anti-mutagenic
properties.
BLACK SEED RESEARCH
According to study
conducted by Dahri et al., 2005; Nader et al., 2010), Black Seed effectively reduces the threat of
atherosclerosis by decreasing the serum LDL cholesterol level and increasing
the serum HDL cholesterol level.
Black Seed at a dose of
2gram/day showed significant reduction in Fasting Blood Sugar, Post-Lunch Blood
Sugar, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1) without major weight loss (1) .
Black Seeds exhibited
anti-convulsive properties in a study conducted on epileptic children. It is observed that the mean frequency of the convulsions decreased
significantly during the treatment period (2) .
In one of the in vivo
test, scientists inferred that Thymoquinone (TQ) one of the constituent of
Nigella Sativa performed better than the allopathic drug fluticason. In another
study it is noticed that the bronchodilatory effect of boiled extract of Black
Seed on the asthamatic airways of the patients showed considerable improvement (3).
Black Cumin is also used
for treating acute Tonsillphharingytis. Black Cumin in combination with
Phyllanthus Niruri has found to works as palliative, eliminating the need for
pain killers in human subjects. The combination exhibited both
anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory effects and proved to be safe and well
tolerated by patients (4).
The Black Cumin and its
oil were found to promote wound healing in farm animals. A study conducted on
placebo-controlled human study of chemical weapons injured patients brought
into light the bronchodilator and anti-spasmodic properties of the Nigella
Sativa. The boiled extract of black seed reduced respiratory symptoms, chest
wheezing, and pulmonary problems and decreased the need for drug treatment (5).
Black Seed displayed
anti-bacterial activity against clinical isolates of methicillin resistant
Staphylococcus aureus (6)
Black Cumin showcased
effective therapy in long-term treatment of opiod dependences (7) and
blood-pressure lowering effect in patients with mild hypertension.
BLOOD CANCER
El-Mahdy et al. (2005)
in their bailiwick submitted that TQ
exhibited anti-prolifierative effect in human myeloblastic leukemia HL-60 cells.
In a separate study, Swamy and Huat (2003)
revealed that alpha hederin induced death of murine leukemia P388 cells.
BREAST CANCER
The Jackson State
University in 2003 published that the aqueous and alcohol extracts of Black
Seed was found effectual in inactivating MCF-7 breast cancer Cells in vitro Link to the Study. In two separate studies scientists found that the derivatives reduced
carcinogenic effects of DMBA in rats and MCF-7/Topo breast cancer by inducing
cell death by apoptosis.
COLON CANCER
The studies by Gali-Muhtasib et al. (2004),
& Salim and Fukushima (2003) evidenced
that TQ acted as anti-neoplastic and pro-apoptotic against colon cancer cell
line HCT116 with no apparent adverse side effects.
PANCREATIC CANCER
According
to Chehl et al. (2009),
TQ stimulated Apoptosis and inhibited proliferation in PDA (pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma) cells.
HEPATIC CANCER
Different concentrations (0-50mg/ml) of Nigella Sativa extract was found
to produce to 88% inhibitory effect on human hepatoma HepG2 cell
line after 24 hr incubation. Link to the Study
LUNG CANCER
The study by Swamy and Huat (2003)
revealed the anti-tumor activity of alpha hederin of Black Cumin against LL/2 (Lewis Lung carcinoma) in BDF1 mice.
SKIN CANCER
Salomi et al. (1991)
published that the topical application of N. sativa and Crocus sativus extracts inhibited two-stage initiation/promotion
of induced skin carcinogenesis in mice.
FIBROSARCOMA
It is found that TQ augmented
MCA treatment significantly (by inhibiting tumor incidence (fibrosarcoma) and
tumor burden) by 43% and 34% as compared to group receiving MCA alone. In vitro
studies of (Badary and Gamal, 2001) showcased that TQ inhibited the survival of
fibrosarcoma cells with IC50 of 15mM. Another in vitro study by (Awad, 2005) reported that oil of black Seed decreased the fibrnolytic
potential of the human fibrosarcoma cell line HT1080.
RENAL CANCER
Khan and Sultana (2005)
reported the chemo-preventive
activity of Nigella Sativa against ferric nitrilotriacetate (Fe-NTA)-stimulated
renal oxidative stress, hyper-proliferative response and renal carcinogenesis.
PROSTATE CANCER
Kaseb et al., 2007 published his study on the efficacy of TQ in selective
inhibiting DNA synthesis, propagation and viability of cancerous (LNCaP, C4-B,
DU145, and PC-3) but not benign BPH-1 by down regulating AR (androgen receptor)
and E2F-1 (a transcription factor). They expounded that TQ worked effectively
in treating hormone-sensitive as well as hormone-refractory prostate cancer.
CERVICAL CANCER
Shafi et al. (2009)
studied the black seed function on cervical cancer. They reported that the
extracts of black seed, methanol, n-Hexane, and chloroform killed HeLa (human epithelial cervical cancer)
cells by inducing apoptosis.
BRAIN CANCER
Research from Ohio state university published a study in 2013 expounding the ability of TQ’s selective inhibition of glioblastoma cancer cells of the
brain and spinal cord from making a clone of themselves. They also examined its
capability in suppressing the autophagy genes in cancer cells.
So much is
packed in the tiny seed that it is rightly called the "The remedy for
everything except Death" and "Panacea". The seed and the
oil are edible and are used for seasoning or flavoring and as daily tonics and
remedies for aeons. Research has proved that the drug is safe and devoid of any
harmful side effects.When used as integrative medicine it produced outstanding
results.Let's hope that whatever is holding it back from being marketed as a
potential anti-cancer cure be solved in near future.
If you like the post, please leave a comment. For further alternative cures about cancer refer to the below posts Soursop & Cow Urine Therapy.
If you like the post, please leave a comment. For further alternative cures about cancer refer to the below posts Soursop & Cow Urine Therapy.
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