A Comprehensive review of Nigella sativa (kalonji) from the Unani perspective

Abstract

The remarkable therapeutic properties of Nigella sativa, often known as black seed or kalonji are well recognized. The use of N. sativa seeds and its oil has a long history in various traditional food and medical systems. As stated by the holy prophet of Islam (PBUH), Shoneez is important since it can cure all diseases with the exception of death. It is widely used in several conventional medical systems, including Unani Tibb, Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, and Siddha.
 The goal of the current review is to provide a thorough overview of the literature on scientific studies of the pharmacognostical properties, chemical makeup, and pharmacological activity of the seeds of this plant.
 The data was collected from various reputed data bases like PubMed, Science direct, Web of Saciences, Google Scholar and Research Gate. The traditional and Unani literature was also searched from the classical books of Greco-Arab medicine in addition to other digital sources.
 According to traditional Unani literature, N. sativa exhibits a variety of pharmacological properties, including those that are carminative, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, diuretic, emmenagogue, galactagogue, and expectorant. Numerous phytochemical, pharmaceutical, and clinical studies have been conducted on N. sativa, revealing its potential anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, immunomodulator, analgesic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, bronchodilator, renal protective, gastro-protective, antioxidant, and other properties. N. sativa is among the top-ranked evidence-based herbal medications because of its remarkable healing ability. The main bioactive component of the essential oil, thymoquinone, is responsible for the majority of its medicinal capabilities.
 Nigella sativa is a potent herb which exhibits wide range of pharmaceutical properties, most of which have been confirmed via preclinical and clinical studies. This review may thus be useful for the research community in particular and common people in general to avail the benefits of N. sativa.
 Keywords: Anti-cancer, Kalonji, Habat-ul-Sauda, Shoneez, Thymoquinone, Nigella sativa, Unani