Health-promoting value and food applications of black cumin essential oil: an overview

Abstract

Black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) seeds and its essential oil have been widely used in functional foods, nutraceuticals and pharmaceutical products. Analysis of Nigella sativa essential oil using GC and GC-MS resulted in the identification of many bioactive compounds representing ca. 85 % of the total content. The main compounds included p-cymene, thymoquinone, α-thujene, longifolene, β-pinene, α-pinene and carvacrol. Nigella sativa essential oil exhibited different biological activities including antifungal, antibacterial and antioxidant potentials. Nigella sativa essential oil showed complete inhibition zones against different Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria including Penicillium citrinum Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The essential oil showed stronger antioxidant potential in comparison with synthetic antioxidants (i.e., BHA and BHT) in a rapeseed oil model system. The oil exhibited also stronger radical scavenging activity against DPPH·radical in comparison with synthetic antioxidants. The diversity of applications to which Nigella sativa essential oil can be put gives this oil industrial importance.

Nigella sativa essential oil and its bioactive compounds as resistance modifiers against Staphylococcus aureus

“…Nigella sativa essential oil (EO) contains significant amounts of phenolic compounds (i.e., p‐cymene, carvacrol, and thymoquinone), which might be the reason of the antimicrobial potential of N. sativa EO (Hassanien, Assiri, Alzohairy, & Oraby, ). The phenolic compound thymoquinone (2‐isopropyl‐5‐methyl‐1,4‐benzoquinone) is one of its most active constituents and has various beneficial properties.…”

Caseinate-Stabilized Emulsions of Black Cumin and Tamanu Oils: Preparation, Characterization and Antibacterial Activity

“…In general, BC consists of oil, proteins, and carbohydrates [2,3]; oil from black cumin is rich in linoleic and oleic acids, as well as bioactive phytosterols and tocopherols [4]. In addition, the seeds contain active phytochemicals, such as thymoquinone, thymohydroquinone, q-cymene, carvacrol, and 4-terpineol [5]. This oil can be used as a natural resource for the production of pharmaceuticals and novel functional foods thanks to its composition and effects [2,[6][7][8].…”

The Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Nigella sativa Balm Sticks

“…Nigella sativa (Ranunculaceae family) or commonly known as black cumin has long been used as a phytomedicine for antidiarrhea, appetite enhancer, diuretic, antibacterial, analgesic, anthelmintic, various skin diseases, anti-inflammatory, back pain, hemiplegia (paralysis of the hands or feet), and rheumatism [1][2][3]. The bioactive content of Nigella sativa included p-cymene, α-thujene, longifolene, β-pinene, α-pinene, carvacrol and the main compound is thymoquinone [4][5][6].…”