• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.125-131
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• 2003

Physiological activities of hot water extracts of 10 commercial instant curry powders and 6 spices, were investigated. All spice extracts except ginger showed significant antioxidant activities on the autoxidation of linoleic curry acid (p＜0.01). Antioxidant activities of clove and fennel were significantly higher than ${\alpha}-tocopherol$, instant curry powders, and other spices, Red pepper $(52.8{\pm}2.13%)$, clove, and coriander showed significant inhibitory activities against angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (p＜0.001). Cytotoxic effects of instant curry powder and spices against human cancer cell lines were examined through MTT assay. Black pepper $(29.31{\pm}2.21%\;cytotoxic\;rate)$ and cardamon $(19.41{\pm}3.92%)$ were effective against MCF-7 (p＜0.01), Clove $(42.92{\pm}5.57%)$ against HeLa (p＜0.01). Ginger $(34.21{\pm}1.11%)$, cardamon, and black pepper against A172 (p＜0.001), garlic $(82.88{\pm}0.53%)$ against SN12C (p＜0.001), garlic $(71.63{\pm}0.38%)$, red pepper, ginger, fenugreek, SPC, cumin, and MPC against SNU-638 (p＜0.001), and cassia $(82.84{\pm}16.92%)$ against A549 (p＜0.001).

• 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.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.426-443
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• 2020

In order to investigate the use of oil in water gelled emulsion (GE) prepared with healthier oil combinations as beef fat replacer in the fresh chicken sausage formulations, four batches of fresh sausages were produced. The first batch was control (C) sample formulated with %100 beef fat, other batches were codded as GE50, GE75, and GE100 respective to the percentage of beef fat replaced with GE. The addition of GE to sausage formulation resulted in an increment in moisture and protein contents while a decrement was observed in fat content (p<0.05). pH, cooking yield and water holding capacity values of GE added samples were found lower than C (p<0.05). GE addition caused lower CIE L* values in samples, however, this trend was not observed in CIE a* and CIE b* values. Initially, the lowest peroxide and the highest TBARS values were recorded in GE100 samples on the 0^th d (p<0.05). Peroxide and TBARS values were in the limits. The texture of samples was softened while total saturated fatty acid content reduced up to 52.61% with the incorporation of GE (p<0.05). Taken together, our results showed that GEs can be used as fat replacers in meat product formulations without causing undesirable quality changes.

• 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.

• 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

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.352-357
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• 2002

Antimutagenic effects of extracts from curry powder and its individual fourteen kinds of spices, were investigated by Ames test. The antimutagenic effects against a direct mutagen, 2-nitrofluorene(2 -NF) and two indirect mutagens, 2-anthramine(2-AT) and 2-acetamidofluorene (2-AE) in the S. typhimurium TA98 were tested. For the 2-NF, the antimutagenicity of cinnamon, fenugreek, fennel, ginger, clove, turmeric and celery seed were determined as 42, 38, 32, 28, 24, 23 and 20%, respectively. The antimutagenicity of clove against the 2-AT was the highest (116%), and followed by the order of celery seed(103%), cardamon(100%), red pepper(99%), cinnamon(92%), cumin(83%), ginger(82%), fennel(82%), coriander (71%), nutmeg(68%) and turmeric (55%). The results also showed that the antimutagenic effect of clove against the 2-AF was superior to other spices. In case of curry powder among more than 10 kinds of spices, the antimutagenenicity against the 2-AT and 2-AF showed 23% and 6%, respectively, but no effect was observed against the 2-NF.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.653-659
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• 2014

Surgery remains the preferred treatment for hydatid cyst (cystic echinococcosis, CE). Various scolicidal agents have been used for inactivation of protoscolices during surgery, but most of them are associated with adverse side effects. The present study aimed to evaluate the in vitro scolicidal effect of Nigella sativa (Ranunculaceae) essential oil and also its active principle, thymoquinone, against protoscolices of hydatid cysts. Protoscolices were aseptically aspirated from sheep livers having hydatid cysts. Various concentrations of the essential oil (0.01-10 mg/ml) and thymoquinone (0.125-1.0 mg/ml) were used for 5 to 60 min. Viability of protoscolices was confirmed by 0.1% eosin staining. Furthermore, the components of the N. sativa essential oil were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS). Our study revealed that the essential oil of N. sativa at the concentration of 10 mg/ml and its main component, thymoquinone, at the concentration of 1 mg/ml had potent scolicidal activities against protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus after 10 min exposure. Moreover, thymoquinone (42.4%), p-cymene (14.1%), carvacrol (10.3%), and longifolene (6.1%) were found to be the major components of N. sativa essential oil by GC/MS analysis. The results of this study indicated the potential of N. sativa as a natural source for production of a new scolicidal agent for use in hydatid cyst surgery. However, further studies will be needed to confirm these results by checking the essential oil and its active component in in vivo models.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.158-172
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• 2017

Nigella sativa (N. sativa, family Ranunculaceae) is a medicinal plant that has been widely used for centuries throughout the world as a natural remedy. A wide range of chemical compounds found in N. sativa expresses its vast therapeutic effects. Thymoquinone (TQ) is the main component (up to 50%) in the essential oil of N. sativa. Also, pinene (up to 15%), p-cymene (40%), thymohydroquinone (THQ), thymol (THY), and dithymoquinone (DTQ) are other pharmacologically active compounds of its oil. Other terpenoid compounds, such as carvacrol, carvone, 4-terpineol, limonenes, and citronellol, are also found in small quantities in its oil. The main pharmacological characteristics of this plant are immune system stimulatory, anti-inflammatory, hypotensive, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, anti-cancer, hypoglycemic, anti-tussive, milk production, uricosuric, choleretic, anti-fertility, and spasmolytic properties. In this regard, we have searched the scientific databases PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar with keywords of N. sativa, anti-cancer, apoptotic effect, antitumor, antioxidant, and malignancy over the period from 2000 to 2017. The effectiveness of N. sativa against cancer in the blood system, kidneys, lungs, prostate, liver, and breast and on many malignant cell lines has been shown in many studies, but the molecular mechanisms behind that anti-cancer role are still not clearly understood. From among the many effects of N. sativa, including its anti-proliferative effect, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction, ROS generation, anti-metastasis/anti-angiogenesis effects, Akt pathway control, modulation of multiple molecular targets, including p53, p73, STAT-3, PTEN, and $PPAR-{\gamma}$, and activation of caspases, the main suggestive anti-cancer mechanisms of N. sativa are its free radical scavenger activity and the preservation of various anti-oxidant enzyme activities, such as glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and glutathione-S-transferase. In this review, we highlight the molecular mechanisms of apoptosis and the anti-cancer effects of N. sativa, with a focus on its molecular targets in apoptosis pathways.