• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.425-430
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• 2006

Three hundred and sixty sexed 3-day-old broiler chicks were divided randomly into six treatment groups (control, antibiotic and black cumin at four levels) of 60 birds each. Black cumin seeds at 0.5%, 1%, 2% or 3% and avilamycin at 10 mg/kgt were added to the basal diet and their effects determined on feed intake, daily live weight gain, feed conversion ratio and carcass characteristics. There were no significant differences in daily feed intake at 21 and 42 days (p>0.05). Average daily gain was significantly different between the treatments. The birds fed the diet containing 1% black cumin seeds and antibiotic were the highest average daily gain, followed by those the other treatment diets and negative control (p<0.05). From 1 to 42 days of age, feed conversion ratios were improved significantly by supplementation with 1% black cumin seeds and with antibiotic (p<0.05) by approximately 5% compared to the control group. Similarly, the highest cold carcass, thigh, breast, wing, neck and liver weights were observed in the 1% black cumin and antibiotic groups (p<0.05). Accordingly, 1% supplementation of black cumin seeds to diets could be considered as an alternative natural growth promoter for poultry instead of antibiotics.

• Mycobiology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.47-53
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• 2007

The prevalence and population density of the mycobiota of 50 samples belonging to 10 kinds of spices (anise, black pepper, red pepper, black cumin, peppermint, cardamom, clove, cumin, ginger and marjoram) which collected from different places in Jeddah Governorate were studied. The natural occurrence of mycotoxins in those samples was also investigated. Fifteen genera and thirty-one species of fungi in addition to one species variety were isolated and identified during this study. The most common genera were Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium. Aflatoxins ($12{\sim}40\;{\mu}g/kg$) were detected in the extract of 5 samples of each of anise seeds and black pepper fruits; three samples of black cumin seeds and on sample only of each of peppermint and marjoram leaves out of 5 samples tested of each. Sterigmatocystin ($15{\sim}20\;{\mu}g/kg$) was detected in some samples of red pepper, cumin and marjoram. The inhibitory effects of 10 kinds of powdered spices were tested against 3 toxigenic isolates of fungi (Aspergillus flavus, A. versicolor and Penicillium citrinum). Clove proved to be antimycotic compounds. It inhibited the growth of the tested toxigenic fungi. Black pepper, peppermint, cardamom, cumin and marjoram completely inhibited aflatoxins production, while black pepper and cardamom also completely inhibited sterigmatocystin production.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.179-179
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• 2020

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.62-70
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• 2020

Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2). Currently, the management of patients with COVID-19 depends mainly on repurposed drugs which include chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir/ritonavir, ribavirin, remdesivir, favipiravir, umifenovir, interferon-α, interferon-β and others. In this review, the potential of Nigella sativa (black cumin seeds) to treat the patients with COVID-19 analyzed, as it has shown to possess antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant, immunomodulatory, bronchodilatory, antihistaminic, antitussive, antipyretic and analgesic activities. Medline/PubMed Central/PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Directory of open access journals (DOAJ) and reference lists were searched to identify articles associated with antiviral and other properties of N.sativa related to the signs and symptoms of COVID-19. Various randomized controlled trials, pilot studies, case reports and in vitro and in vivo studies confirmed that N.sativa has antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, bronchodilatory, antihistaminic, antitussive activities related to causative oraganism and signs and symptoms of COVID-19. N. sativa could be used as an adjuvant therapy along with repurposed conventional drugs to manage the patients with COVID-19.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.1811-1816
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• 2009

An extensive phytochemical investigation of the polar fractions of a methanolic extract of Egyptian medicinal food, black cumin (seeds of Nigella sativa L.) led to the isolation of two new triterpene saponins, named sativosides A and B (1-2), along with four known saponins (3-6). Sativoside A (1) is the first example of saponins containing 18-ene triterpene aglycon not only in this Nigella genus but also in the family Ranunculaceae. The structure of the new saponins was elucidated mainly by a combination of 1D and 2D NMR data, together with HRFABMS and acid hydrolysis. Three compounds (1-3) showed the significant inhibition effect of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) plus calcium ionophore A23187-induced production of IL-6 in a human mast cell (HMC-1) line.

• CELLMED
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.11.1-11.14
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• 2020

Nigella sativa commonly known as Black seed, Black cumin or Kalonji (Family Ranunculaceae) is a widely used for its miraculous healing power. Use of N. sativa seeds and oil has splendid historical past in diverse traditional systems of medicine and food. In Tibb-e-Nabwi (Prophetic Medicine), it is considered as one of the greatest forms of healing medicine. Phytochemically; it contains fixed oil, protein, alkaloids saponin and essential oil. Therapeutic properties of this plant are due to the presence of thymoquinone which is one of major active component and has different beneficial properties. In Unani System of Medicine the diseases are treated with nontoxic herbal drugs. As per Unani classical literature N. sativa perform various pharmacological actions like carminative, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, diuretic, emmenagogue, galactagogue, expectorant etc. Ample of phytochemical, pharmacological and clinical researches has been executed on N. sativa., which may include antidiabetic, anticancer, immunomodulator, analgesic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, bronchodilator, hepato-protective, renal protective, gastro-protective, antioxidant properties, etc. This review is an effort to summarize the literature on scientific researches of pharmacognostical characteristics, chemical composition and pharmacological activities of the kalonji seeds

• CELLMED
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.19.1-19.6
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• 2014

The most important reason mentioned for the early discontinuation of breast feeding and introduction of supplementary bottles is Perceived Insufficient Milk (PIM), which is relatively common in women. This is of public health concern because the use of breast milk substitutes increases the risk of morbidity and mortality among infants in developing countries and shortens birth intervals. Thus, a literary search in classical text for aetiopathogenesis, symptoms and treatment of PIM were appraised to implement in contemporary era. The classical Unani texts viz., Al Qanon fit Tib (Canon of Medicine), Al Hawi (Continens Liber), Zakheera Kharzam Shahi, Tarjuma Kamilus Sana, Tibbe Akbar, Akseer Azam, and Kitabul Kulliyat were reviewed. Further certain galactogogue herbs which are in use since antiquity such as fenugreek, cotton seeds, cumin, asparagus, black cumin etc were explored in different search engines on website for proven galactogogue activity. The causes of PIM are abnormal temperament of body or breast, anaemia, anxiety, depression, malnutrition etc. The principle treatment is treating the cause viz., the temperament is corrected by diet and drugs in abnormal temperament, elimination of humour is required in dominance of humour etc. The aforementioned drugs are proven scientifically for their galactogogue activity. The classical texts are having valuable information regarding PIM, which can be implemented in present era. Aforementioned Unani drugs are proven scientifically for with their galactogogue effect, however, clinical trials are scarce. Therefore, further randomized controlled clinical trials are recommended.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.1930-1938
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• 2018

Objective: The present study attempted to determine safe and sufficient growth promoters in poultry feeding. Methods: A total of 520 seven-day-old quail chicks were randomly allotted to eight treatment groups in a $4{\times}2$ factorial design experiment to evaluate the effect of different levels of humic acid (HA) and black cumin (BC) seed and their interactions on growth, carcass traits, gut microbes, and blood chemistry of growing quails. Quails were randomly distributed into 8 groups in a $4{\times}2$ factorial design, included 4 HA levels (0, 0.75, 1.5, and 2.25 g/kg diet) and 2 BC levels (0 or 5 g/ kg diet). Results: Increasing HA level associated with a gradual increase in final weight, feed intake and body weight gain along with an improvement in feed conversion ratio. Dietary addition of 5 g BC powder/kg diet gave similar results. The highest level of HA (2.25 g/kg diet) recorded the best values of carcass weight, breast yield, intestinal length, and intestinal weight comparing with the control and other HA levels. Total viable microbial counts decreased (p<0.05) with increasing levels of HA except the intermediate level (1.5 g/kg diet). The concentration of serum cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (excluding that 0.75 g HA) decreased (p<0.05) and high density lipoprotein increased (p = 0.034) along with increasing HA level. The interaction between the $2.25g\;HA{\times}5g$ gave the best results regarding most studied parameters. Conclusion: These findings indicated that HA combined with BC could be used as effective growth promoters, with the recommended level being 2.25 g HA+5 g BC/kg of quail diet.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.179-193
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• 2017

Objectives: Nigella sativa (black seed or black cumin), which belongs to the Ranunculacea family, is an annual herb with many pharmacological properties. Among its many active constituents, thymoquinone (TQ) is the most abundant constituent of the volatile oil of Nigella sativa (N. sativa) seeds, and it is the constituent to which most properties of this herb are attributed. Methods: PubMed-Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched to identify randomized control trials (RCTs) investigating the therapeutic effects of N. sativa and/or TQ. In this review, we investigated the clinical uses of N. sativa and TQ in the prevention and the treatment of different diseases and morbidity conditions in humans. Results: Black seed and TQ are shown to possess multiple useful effects for the treatment of patients with several diseases, such as inflammatory and auto-immune disorders, as well as metabolic syndrome. Also, other advantages, including antimicrobial, anti-nociceptive and anti-epileptic properties, have been documented. The side effects of this herbal medicine appear not to be serious, so it can be applied in clinical trials because of its many advantages. Conclusion: Some effects of N. sativa, such as its hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic and bronchodilatory effects, have been sufficiently studied and are sufficiently understood to allow for the next phase of clinical trials or drug developments. However, most of its other effects and applications require further clinical and animal studies.