small quantity of ascorbic acid has also been reported (Takruri and Dameh 1998)
(Table 13.2). Among the fat-soluble vitamin, Nigella seed is an abundant source of
vitamin E including α-, β-, and γ-tocopherol. Apart from tocopherol, it also contains
retinol and carotenoids (β-carotene). Overall, fat-soluble vitamin comprises more
than 0.2% of total oil content (Al-Saleh et al. 2006; Muhammad 1994), while
altogether all vitamins range between 1 and 4% depending upon crop growing
condition, genetic variation among seeds, and agricultural practices. Takruri and
Dameh (1998) evaluated Nigella seeds collected from different countries including
India, Syria, Turkey, and Jordan and reported that thiamin, pyridoxine, niacin, and
folic acid content varied between 13 and 18, 04 and 15, 33 and 97, and 470 and
870 mg/kg, respectively.
Tocopherols are known to have potential antioxidant activity, and these effects
are strongly associated with γ-tocopherol content. The total tocopherol content of the
Nigella seeds are reported between 9.15 mg/100 g and 27.92 mg/100 g (Matthaus
and Özcan 2011). Fat-soluble vitamins including α-tocopherols (10.19 μg/g),
δ-tocopherol (2.28 μg/g), retinol (0.18 μg/g), vitamin D 2 (1.38 μg/g), phylloquinones
(1.85 μg/g), and menaquinone-4 content (2.15 μg/g) were also reported by Vatansev
et al. (2013).
Table 13.2 Mineral and water-soluble vitamin composition of Nigella sativa seeds
Micronutrient References
minerals
(mg/kg)
AlJassir
(1992)
CheikhRouhou
et al. (2007)
Takruri and
Dameh
(1998)
Al-Naqeep
et al.
(2009)
AbdelAaI and
Attia (1993)
Nargiz
and Otles
(1993)
Potassium
760
708–783
4423–5623 4473–5630 5606
11,800
Phosphorus
180
48.9–51.9
5043–5769 542–774
5699
–
Sodium
75
18.5–20.8
419–550
440–807
535
853
Iron
15.0
8.65–9.42
91–130
86–566
93
575
Zinc
6.0
7.03–8.4
56–66
19–25
59
–
Calcium
0.4
564–572
1544–2005 5440–8110 2000
1885
Magnesium
3.0
235–260
–
2190–2600 –
–
Manganese
2.0
3.37–4.43
–
–
–
–
Copper
2.0
1.48–1.65
15–24
13–16
17
–
Vitamins (μg/
100 g)
Thiamine
(μg/100 g)
–
–
1300–1800 –
–
831
Riboflavin
(μg/100 g)
–
–
–
–
–
63
Niacin(μg/
100 g)
–
–
3300–9700 –
–
6311
Pyridoxin
(μg/100 g)
–
–
400–600
–
–
789
Folic acid
(mg/100 g)
–
–
40–87
–
–
42
13 Nigella (Nigella sativa) Seed
335
(Table 13.2). Among the fat-soluble vitamin, Nigella seed is an abundant source of
vitamin E including α-, β-, and γ-tocopherol. Apart from tocopherol, it also contains
retinol and carotenoids (β-carotene). Overall, fat-soluble vitamin comprises more
than 0.2% of total oil content (Al-Saleh et al. 2006; Muhammad 1994), while
altogether all vitamins range between 1 and 4% depending upon crop growing
condition, genetic variation among seeds, and agricultural practices. Takruri and
Dameh (1998) evaluated Nigella seeds collected from different countries including
India, Syria, Turkey, and Jordan and reported that thiamin, pyridoxine, niacin, and
folic acid content varied between 13 and 18, 04 and 15, 33 and 97, and 470 and
870 mg/kg, respectively.
Tocopherols are known to have potential antioxidant activity, and these effects
are strongly associated with γ-tocopherol content. The total tocopherol content of the
Nigella seeds are reported between 9.15 mg/100 g and 27.92 mg/100 g (Matthaus
and Özcan 2011). Fat-soluble vitamins including α-tocopherols (10.19 μg/g),
δ-tocopherol (2.28 μg/g), retinol (0.18 μg/g), vitamin D 2 (1.38 μg/g), phylloquinones
(1.85 μg/g), and menaquinone-4 content (2.15 μg/g) were also reported by Vatansev
et al. (2013).
Table 13.2 Mineral and water-soluble vitamin composition of Nigella sativa seeds
Micronutrient References
minerals
(mg/kg)
AlJassir
(1992)
CheikhRouhou
et al. (2007)
Takruri and
Dameh
(1998)
Al-Naqeep
et al.
(2009)
AbdelAaI and
Attia (1993)
Nargiz
and Otles
(1993)
Potassium
760
708–783
4423–5623 4473–5630 5606
11,800
Phosphorus
180
48.9–51.9
5043–5769 542–774
5699
–
Sodium
75
18.5–20.8
419–550
440–807
535
853
Iron
15.0
8.65–9.42
91–130
86–566
93
575
Zinc
6.0
7.03–8.4
56–66
19–25
59
–
Calcium
0.4
564–572
1544–2005 5440–8110 2000
1885
Magnesium
3.0
235–260
–
2190–2600 –
–
Manganese
2.0
3.37–4.43
–
–
–
–
Copper
2.0
1.48–1.65
15–24
13–16
17
–
Vitamins (μg/
100 g)
Thiamine
(μg/100 g)
–
–
1300–1800 –
–
831
Riboflavin
(μg/100 g)
–
–
–
–
–
63
Niacin(μg/
100 g)
–
–
3300–9700 –
–
6311
Pyridoxin
(μg/100 g)
–
–
400–600
–
–
789
Folic acid
(mg/100 g)
–
–
40–87
–
–
42
13 Nigella (Nigella sativa) Seed
335