• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권11호
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• pp.5839-5842
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• 2012

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women in the world and is one of the leading causes of death due to cancer. Health benefits have been linked to additive and synergistic combinations of phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables. Nigella sativa has been shown to possess anti-carcinogenic activity, inhibiting growth of several cancer cell lines in vitro. However, the molecular mechanisms of the anti-cancer properties of Nigella sativa phytochemical extracts have not been completely understood. Our data showed that Nigella sativa extracts significantly inhibited human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell proliferation at doses of $2.5-5{\mu}g/mL$ (P<0.05). Apoptotic induction in MDA-MB-231 cells was observed in a dose-dependent manner after exposure to Nigella sativa extracts for 48 h. Real time PCR and flow cytometry analyses suggested that Nigella sativa extracts possess the ability to suppress the proliferation of human breast cancer cells through induction of apoptosis.

• 대한화장품학회지
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.319-326
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• 2011

니겔라 사티바(Nigella sativa Linn.) 오일의 미백 효능을 확인하기 위하여 니겔라 사티바 오일 및 오일에서 분리된 유효성분들을 버섯 타이로시네이즈 효소, B16 멜라노마 세포를 이용하여 멜라닌 생성에 관련된 다양한 실험을 실시하였다. B16-F10 멜라노마 세포를 이용한 멜라닌 저해 활성시험 결과에서 니겔라 사티바 오일은 10 mg/mL의 농도에서 약 86 %의 멜라닌 생성을 억제하였으며, RT-PCR과 Western blot을 통한 멜라닌 생성 기작에 대한 영향을 조사한결과, 멜라닌 합성의 주요 단백질인 타이로시네이즈 발현 저해효과가 우수하게 나타났다. 또한, tyrosinase related protein-1 (TRP-1) 및 tyrosinase related protein-2 (TRP-2)의 발현이 억제되는 것을 확인하였다. 따라서, 니겔라 사티바오일은 멜라닌 생합성 저해 효과뿐만 아니라, 멜라닌 합성에 필수적인 효소(타이로시네이즈, TRP-1, TRP-2)의 발현저해를 통해 미백 효과를 나타내는 것으로 확인되었으며, 이에 따라 니겔라 사티바 오일은 멜라닌 생합성을 저해하는미백 소재로 활용할 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제30권8호
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• pp.1811-1816
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• 2009

An extensive phytochemical investigation of the polar fractions of a methanolic extract of Egyptian medicinal food, black cumin (seeds of Nigella sativa L.) led to the isolation of two new triterpene saponins, named sativosides A and B (1-2), along with four known saponins (3-6). Sativoside A (1) is the first example of saponins containing 18-ene triterpene aglycon not only in this Nigella genus but also in the family Ranunculaceae. The structure of the new saponins was elucidated mainly by a combination of 1D and 2D NMR data, together with HRFABMS and acid hydrolysis. Three compounds (1-3) showed the significant inhibition effect of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) plus calcium ionophore A23187-induced production of IL-6 in a human mast cell (HMC-1) line.

• 대한약침학회지
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.29-35
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• 2017

Objectives: Aging is an unconscious and gradual process that can lead to changes in biological systems. Induction of oxidative stress and apoptosis, hepatotoxicity and neurotoxicity are involved in the aging process. Regarding the antioxidant property of black seed oil, the aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-aging effect of Nigella sativa (N. sativa) oil on d-galactose-induced aging in mice. Methods: For induction of aging, D-galactose (500 mg/kg, subcoutaneously SC) was administrated to male mice for 42 days. Animals were treated with D-galactose alone or with b lack seed oil (0.1, 0.2, 0.5 mL/kg, intraperitoneally (ip)). Additionally, vitamin E (200 mg/kg) was used as a positive control. At the end of treatment, the malondialdehyde (MDA) and the glutathione (GSH) contents in brain and liver tissues were measured. Also, enzymes in serum, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine amino transferase (ALT), were determined. The levels of the proteins Bax, Bcl2, caspase-3 (pro and cleaved) in brain and liver tissues were evaluated. Results: Administration of D-galactose (500 mg/kg, SC) for 42 days increased serum levels of ALT and AST, as well as the MDA content, in brain and liver tissues, but decreased the GSH content. Additionally, the levels of apoptotic proteins, including Bax, procaspase-3 and caspase-3 cleaved, were markedly increased. N. sativa oil (0.1 and 0.2 mL/kg) diminished the levels of the biochemical markers ALT and AST. Administration of black seed oil (0.1, 0.2 and 0.5 mL/kg) reduced lipid peroxidation and at doses 0.1 and 0.2 mL/kg significantly recovered the GSH content. The oil decreased Bax/Bcl2 levels and at 0.1 mL/kg down-regulated the expressions of caspase-3 (pro and cleaved) proteins in brain and liver tissues. Conclusion: Through its antioxidant and anti-apoptosis properties, black seed oil exhibited an anti-aging effect in a model of aging induced with D-galactose.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권22호
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• pp.9655-9660
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• 2014

Background: Nigella Sativa (NS) is an herb from the Ranunculaceae family that exhibits numerous medicinal properties and has been used as important constituent of many complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs). The ability of NS to kill cancer cells such as PC3, HeLa and hepatoma cells is well established. However, our understanding of the mode of death caused by NS remains nebulous. The objective of this study was to gain further insight into the mode and mechanism of death caused by NS in breast cancer MCF-7 cells. Materials and Methods: Human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) were treated with a methanolic extract of NS, and a dose- and time-dependent study was performed. The $IC_{50}$ was calculated using a Cell Titer $Blue^{(R)}$ viability assay assay, and evidence for DNA fragmentation was obtained by fluorescence microscopy TUNEL assay. Gene expression was also profiled for a number of apoptosis-related genes (Caspase-3, -8, -9 and p53 genes) through qPCR. Results: The $IC_{50}$ of MCF-7 cells was $62.8{\mu}L/mL$. When MCF-7 cells were exposed to $50{\mu}L/mL$ and $100{\mu}L/mL$ NS for 24h, 48h and 72h, microscopic examination (TUNEL assay) revealed a dose- and time-dependent increase in apoptosis. Similarly, the expression of the Caspase-3, -8, -9 and p53 genes increased significantly according to the dose and time. Conclusions: NS induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells through both the p53 and caspase pathways. NS could potentially represent an alternative source of medicine for breast cancer therapy.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.425-430
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• 2006

Three hundred and sixty sexed 3-day-old broiler chicks were divided randomly into six treatment groups (control, antibiotic and black cumin at four levels) of 60 birds each. Black cumin seeds at 0.5%, 1%, 2% or 3% and avilamycin at 10 mg/kgt were added to the basal diet and their effects determined on feed intake, daily live weight gain, feed conversion ratio and carcass characteristics. There were no significant differences in daily feed intake at 21 and 42 days (p>0.05). Average daily gain was significantly different between the treatments. The birds fed the diet containing 1% black cumin seeds and antibiotic were the highest average daily gain, followed by those the other treatment diets and negative control (p<0.05). From 1 to 42 days of age, feed conversion ratios were improved significantly by supplementation with 1% black cumin seeds and with antibiotic (p<0.05) by approximately 5% compared to the control group. Similarly, the highest cold carcass, thigh, breast, wing, neck and liver weights were observed in the 1% black cumin and antibiotic groups (p<0.05). Accordingly, 1% supplementation of black cumin seeds to diets could be considered as an alternative natural growth promoter for poultry instead of antibiotics.

• 대한약침학회지
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.284-293
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• 2018

Objectives: Thymoquinone (TQ) is one of the active ingredients of herbal plants such as Nigella sativa L. (NS) which has beneficial effects on the body. The beneficial effects of TQ on the cardiovascular system have reported. This study aimed to investigate the effect of TQ on cardiac fibrosis and permeability, serum and tissue concentration of inflammatory markers and oxidative stress status in chronic lipopolysaccharide exposure in male rats. Methods: Seventy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups as follows: (1) control; (2) LPS (1 mg/kg/day); (3-5) LPS + TQ with three doses of 2, 5 and 10 mg/kg (n=14 in each group). After 3 weeks, serum and cardiac levels of $IL-1{\beta}$, $TNF-{\alpha}$ and nitric oxide (NO) metabolites, and cardiac levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), total thiol groups, catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, permeability of heart tissue (evaluated by Evans blue dye method) and myocardial fibrosis were determined, histologically. Results: LPS administration induced myocardial and perivascular fibrosis and increased cardiac oxidative stress (MDA), inflammatory markers and heart permeability, while, reduced anti-oxidative enzymes (SOD and CAT) and the total thiol group. Administration of TQ significantly attenuated these observations. Conclusion: TQ improved myocardial and perivascular fibrosis through suppression of chronic inflammation and improving oxidative stress status and can be considered for attenuation of cardiac fibrosis in conditions with chronic low-grade inflammation.