13.4.1 Cardiovascular Health Benefits
Cardiovascular disease is growing rapidly across the globe and thus is a major
concern toward public health. The active principal thymoquinone (TQ) of Nigella
seeds lowers the total cholesterol, thyroglobulin (TG), and low-density lipoprotein
(LDL) and at the same time improves the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol
(Sahebkar et al. 2016). It is demonstrated that Nigella seeds also decrease motor fuelinduced systolic blood pressure, IL-6, leukocytes, and plasma superoxide dismutase
activity (Ahmad et al. 2013). TQ isolated from Nigella seeds has been evaluated for
its protective effects against diesel exhaust particles (DEP) on cardiopulmonary
parameters in vivo, and it was concluded that TQ significantly prevented the adverse
effects of DEP.
13.4.2 Antioxidant Activity
Nigella seed extracts have strong antioxidant potential even higher than synthetic
antioxidant (Ermumcu and Şanlıer 2017). Most of the antioxidant compounds are
contributed from volatile oil fraction of the seeds; however, other compounds
including tocopherols, phenolic acids, and flavonoids also contribute to the antioxidant potential of Nigella seeds (Sultan et al. 2009). It is also proposed that Nigella
seed extract could be used as a natural antioxidant in food to protect from oxidation
by scavenging free radicals (Bourgou et al. 2012). Besides these, it has been proved
Table 13.5 (continued)
Bioactive
component
Health effects
Reference
Aqueous extract of
Nigella seeds
Effectiveness against YAC tumor
cell; Anti-inflammatory; anti-analgesic activity
Majdalawieh et al. (2010); Alemi
et al. (2013)
TQ and seed extract Osteoporosis prevention activity
Shuid et al. (2012)
Aqueous extract;
methanolic extract
Immunomodulatory activity
Ghonime et al. (2011); Mohamed
et al. (2009)
TQ, oil, seeds;
extracts
Cardiovascular activity
Nemmar et al. (2011)
Seed extract
Thyroid hormone regulation
Abdel-Sater (2009)
TQ, Oil
Gastro-protective activity
Magdy et al. (2012); Al-Mofleh
et al. (2008); El-Abhar et al.
(2003); Tayman et al. (2012)
TQ, Nigella seeds
Pulmonary-protective and antiasthmatic effects
Wienkotter et al. (2008);
Boskabady et al. (2007); Hossein
et al. (2008)
Defatted seed, TQ
Neuroprotective activity
Perveen et al. (2009); Gilhotra and
Dhingra (2011)
13 Nigella (Nigella sativa) Seed
341
Cardiovascular disease is growing rapidly across the globe and thus is a major
concern toward public health. The active principal thymoquinone (TQ) of Nigella
seeds lowers the total cholesterol, thyroglobulin (TG), and low-density lipoprotein
(LDL) and at the same time improves the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol
(Sahebkar et al. 2016). It is demonstrated that Nigella seeds also decrease motor fuelinduced systolic blood pressure, IL-6, leukocytes, and plasma superoxide dismutase
activity (Ahmad et al. 2013). TQ isolated from Nigella seeds has been evaluated for
its protective effects against diesel exhaust particles (DEP) on cardiopulmonary
parameters in vivo, and it was concluded that TQ significantly prevented the adverse
effects of DEP.
13.4.2 Antioxidant Activity
Nigella seed extracts have strong antioxidant potential even higher than synthetic
antioxidant (Ermumcu and Şanlıer 2017). Most of the antioxidant compounds are
contributed from volatile oil fraction of the seeds; however, other compounds
including tocopherols, phenolic acids, and flavonoids also contribute to the antioxidant potential of Nigella seeds (Sultan et al. 2009). It is also proposed that Nigella
seed extract could be used as a natural antioxidant in food to protect from oxidation
by scavenging free radicals (Bourgou et al. 2012). Besides these, it has been proved
Table 13.5 (continued)
Bioactive
component
Health effects
Reference
Aqueous extract of
Nigella seeds
Effectiveness against YAC tumor
cell; Anti-inflammatory; anti-analgesic activity
Majdalawieh et al. (2010); Alemi
et al. (2013)
TQ and seed extract Osteoporosis prevention activity
Shuid et al. (2012)
Aqueous extract;
methanolic extract
Immunomodulatory activity
Ghonime et al. (2011); Mohamed
et al. (2009)
TQ, oil, seeds;
extracts
Cardiovascular activity
Nemmar et al. (2011)
Seed extract
Thyroid hormone regulation
Abdel-Sater (2009)
TQ, Oil
Gastro-protective activity
Magdy et al. (2012); Al-Mofleh
et al. (2008); El-Abhar et al.
(2003); Tayman et al. (2012)
TQ, Nigella seeds
Pulmonary-protective and antiasthmatic effects
Wienkotter et al. (2008);
Boskabady et al. (2007); Hossein
et al. (2008)
Defatted seed, TQ
Neuroprotective activity
Perveen et al. (2009); Gilhotra and
Dhingra (2011)
13 Nigella (Nigella sativa) Seed
341