Phytochemical profile, nutritional and medicinal value of Nigella sativa

Abstract

This review article provides phytochemical profiling, nutritional and medicinal importance of Nigella sativa (NS). Its seeds are rich in thymol, thymoquinone, thymohydroquinone, dithymoquinone, organic acids, resins, reducing sugars, metarbin, poisonous glucoside, proteins, minerals, carbohydrates, lipids and vitamins. Its sees serve as an important nutritional source and healthy dietary supplement for human beings and animals to improve their growth performance in cattle and chickens. The use of NS helps in fighting against various infections including inflammation, cancer, asthma, fungus, lowering blood sugar and heart-related diseases. Intake of NS seeds (NSS) results in significant lowering of systolic blood pressure, body weight, hip ratio, waist fasting blood sugar, uric acid, SGOT, SGPT, diastolic blood pressure, triglyceride and serum testosterone. Its seeds have carminative, appetite, digestive and stimulant properties and are useful for treating flatulence, anorexia, indigestion and gas production in the digestive tract. They improve liver and stomach functions and are effective against nausea, stomach cramps, diarrhea, leprosy, freckling, alopecia, eczema of the skin, and seasonal viral illnesses. Chewing of its seeds is useful in controlling the antimicrobial activities in the oral cavity. NS improves digestive juice secretion and prostaglandin production, stimulates menstrual flow, reduces breast milk abnormalities and increases milk production. NSS oil is effective for vitiligo patients and skin re-pigmentation, especially in the pubic area, face, and hands. Its seeds stimulate urination and are used to remove kidney stones.