Nigella sativa is an annual herb of the Ranunculaceae family and grows in countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, Pakistan and India. The seeds of this plant are commonly referred to as Black Seed and named Habbatu l-barakah ( حبه البركة) in Arabic which translates directly into "seed of blessing.” They have been found in several sites from ancient Egypt, including Tutankhamun's tomb. Although its exact role in Egyptian culture is unknown, it is known that items entombed with a pharaoh were carefully selected to assist him in the afterlife. It is also mentioned in several religious texts including the Bible, Quran and the Torah.
Nigella sativa is an annual flowering plant. It grows to 20–30 cm tall, with finely divided, linear (but not thread-like) leaves. The flowers are delicate, and usually colored pale blue and white, with 5–10 petals. The fruit is a large and inflated capsule composed of 3–7 united follicles, each containing numerous seeds. The seed is used as a spice. Although black seed is not a significant component of the human diet, it is regarded in the Middle East as part of an overall holistic approach to health and is thus incorporated into diets and everyday lifestyles. The seed has been used as a natural remedy in folk-medicine for more than 2000 years to promote health and treat diseases such as headache, coughs, abdominal pain, diarrhea, asthma, rheumatism and others. Black seed is one of the most extensively studied plants both phytochemically and pharmacologically.
The seeds of this plant are very rich and diverse in chemical composition. Among the chemical components of black seed, thymoquinone is the most abundant active principle, of which most of Nigella sativa’s biological activity is attributed to.
The most significant effects of thymoquinone are anti-inflammatory and chemo preventive in nature. Studies carried out by IBSAR members have shown thymoquinone to reduce colon, bone and skin cancers. Studies were performed both in-vivo on cells, and in-vitro on live animals. Thymoquinone acts on the cell by activating its apoptotic (cell death) response. Cell invasion was reduced by 50% in almost all cases, and in the colon cancer model tumors did not re-grow even after treatment with thymoquinone was discontinued. Furthermore, all treatments were cancer-cell specific, its chemo preventive function did not harm normal cells.
Related Publications:
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Lack of p53 augments thymoquinone-induced apoptosis and caspase activation in human osteosarcoma cells: View Abstract
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Molecular pathway for thymoquinone-induced cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis in neoplastic keratinocytes: View Abstract
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The Medicinal Potential of Black seed (Nigella sativa) and its Components: View Abstract
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Thymoquinone extracted from black seed triggers apoptotic cell death in human colorectal cancer cells via a p53-dependent mechanism: View Abstract
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Thymoquinone reduces mouse colon tumor cell invasion and inhibits tumor growth in murine colon cancer models: View Abstract
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Thymoquinone: a promising anti-cancer drug from natural sources: View Abstract