that the antihyperglycemia and antihyperlipedimia effects of the TQ and other
bioactive constituents of Nigella seed extract are also obtained through antioxidant
mechanism. Several studies reported that Nigella prevents the lipid peroxidation and
improves the antioxidant enzymes (Al-Mahasneh et al. 2008; Bamosa et al. 2010;
Ragheb et al. 2008).
Studies carried out on rat model showed that injecting TQ and Nigella seed oil has
protective effects on lipid peroxidation during ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI) in
rat hippocampus (Hosseinzadeh et al. 2007). Another study carried out on broiler
chicks showed that feeding Nigella seeds prevents the liver from oxidative stress
through increasing the few enzymes including glutathione-S-transferase,
myeloperoxidase, and adenosine deaminase and by lowering hepatic lipid peroxidation (Sogut et al. 2008). Overall, a number of research have concluded that Nigella
seed extract, seed oil, and TQ have potential radical scavenging activity by efficiently changing certain parameters including catalase (CAT), adenosine deaminase
(ADA), myeloperoxidase (MPO), lipid peroxidase (LPO), reduced glutathione
(GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) glutathione-S-transferase (GSH-ST), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and nitric oxide (NO).
13.4.3 Antidiabetic Activity
Many studies have been carried out on antidiabetic potential of Nigella seeds and
found its effectiveness against diabetes by reducing blood glucose levels through
several mechanisms. Nigella extract which is rich in TQ reduces the tissue
malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, prevents the DNA damage, vacuolization/fragmentation of mitochondria, as well as maintains the integrity of β-cells. TQ is also
involved in improving insulin level thus significantly lowers the glucose and
glycosylated hemoglobin levels in blood. Studies on rat model showed that the
combination of three different compounds including α-lipoic acid (α-LA), Nigella
sativa, and L-carnitine as well as individually significantly controls the blood
glucose levels (Salama 2011). Similarly, Nigella seed extracts also have a synergistic
effect along with parathyroid hormone (PTH) and improve bone mass, biomechanical behavior, and connectivity; consequently, it improves the diabetic conditions in
type II diabetic rat model (Heshmati and Namazi 2015). Heshmati et al. (2015)
suggested that feeding of 3 g Nigella seed oil three times a day significantly
improved the glycemic status of diabetic patients.
13.4.4 Anticancer Activity
Bioactive principals of Nigella seed including TQ have shown anticancer activity
against proliferation of cancer cells (Shafiq et al. 2014). Many studies have demonstrated that several bioactive compounds of Nigella have potential antioxidant
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P. Sharma and T. Longvah
bioactive constituents of Nigella seed extract are also obtained through antioxidant
mechanism. Several studies reported that Nigella prevents the lipid peroxidation and
improves the antioxidant enzymes (Al-Mahasneh et al. 2008; Bamosa et al. 2010;
Ragheb et al. 2008).
Studies carried out on rat model showed that injecting TQ and Nigella seed oil has
protective effects on lipid peroxidation during ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI) in
rat hippocampus (Hosseinzadeh et al. 2007). Another study carried out on broiler
chicks showed that feeding Nigella seeds prevents the liver from oxidative stress
through increasing the few enzymes including glutathione-S-transferase,
myeloperoxidase, and adenosine deaminase and by lowering hepatic lipid peroxidation (Sogut et al. 2008). Overall, a number of research have concluded that Nigella
seed extract, seed oil, and TQ have potential radical scavenging activity by efficiently changing certain parameters including catalase (CAT), adenosine deaminase
(ADA), myeloperoxidase (MPO), lipid peroxidase (LPO), reduced glutathione
(GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) glutathione-S-transferase (GSH-ST), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and nitric oxide (NO).
13.4.3 Antidiabetic Activity
Many studies have been carried out on antidiabetic potential of Nigella seeds and
found its effectiveness against diabetes by reducing blood glucose levels through
several mechanisms. Nigella extract which is rich in TQ reduces the tissue
malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, prevents the DNA damage, vacuolization/fragmentation of mitochondria, as well as maintains the integrity of β-cells. TQ is also
involved in improving insulin level thus significantly lowers the glucose and
glycosylated hemoglobin levels in blood. Studies on rat model showed that the
combination of three different compounds including α-lipoic acid (α-LA), Nigella
sativa, and L-carnitine as well as individually significantly controls the blood
glucose levels (Salama 2011). Similarly, Nigella seed extracts also have a synergistic
effect along with parathyroid hormone (PTH) and improve bone mass, biomechanical behavior, and connectivity; consequently, it improves the diabetic conditions in
type II diabetic rat model (Heshmati and Namazi 2015). Heshmati et al. (2015)
suggested that feeding of 3 g Nigella seed oil three times a day significantly
improved the glycemic status of diabetic patients.
13.4.4 Anticancer Activity
Bioactive principals of Nigella seed including TQ have shown anticancer activity
against proliferation of cancer cells (Shafiq et al. 2014). Many studies have demonstrated that several bioactive compounds of Nigella have potential antioxidant
342
P. Sharma and T. Longvah