Generic placeholder image

Current Traditional Medicine

Editor-in-Chief

ISSN (Print): 2215-0838
ISSN (Online): 2215-0846

Mini-Review Article

Nigella Sativa (Black seeds) – Potential Herb to Help Weight Loss

Author(s): Naina Mohamed Pakkir Maideen*

Volume 8, Issue 4, 2022

Published on: 29 April, 2022

Article ID: e091121197833 Pages: 7

DOI: 10.2174/2215083807666211109115834

Price: $65

Abstract

Obesity is associated with many diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, coronary heart disease, stroke, fatty liver disease, cancer, osteoarthritis and many others. The prevalence of obesity is increasing every year among the global population. The persons being overweight or obese may consider traditional herbal medicines as a good strategy to manage chronic conditions due to various reasons. Nigella sativa (Black seeds) has been used to treat various conditions, including obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, etc. Hence, the anti-obesity potential of N. sativa is analyzed in this review. The databases, including Medline/PMC/PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and reference lists, were searched to identify relevant randomized controlled clinical trials. Significant reduction of body weight, body mass index and waist circumference have been observed in many randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) by using N. sativa. Hence, the individuals willing to reduce their body weight can effectively use N. sativa along with lifestyle modifications.

Keywords: Nigella sativa, black seeds, kalonji, overweight, obesity, weight loss, thymol, nigellone, thymoquinone.

Graphical Abstract
[1]
Chobot A, Górowska-Kowolik K, Sokołowska M, Jarosz-Chobot P. Obesity and diabetes-not only a simple link between two epidemics. Diabetes Metab Res Rev 2018; 34(7): e3042.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/dmrr.3042] [PMID: 29931823]
[2]
Seravalle G, Grassi G. Obesity and hypertension. Pharmacol Res 2017; 122: 1-7.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.phrs.2017.05.013] [PMID: 28532816]
[3]
Vekic J, Zeljkovic A, Stefanovic A, Jelic-Ivanovic Z, Spasojevic-Kalimanovska V. Obesity and dyslipidemia. Metabolism 2019; 92: 71-81.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.metabol.2018.11.005] [PMID: 30447223]
[4]
Lassale C, Tzoulaki I, Moons KGM, et al. Separate and combined associations of obesity and metabolic health with coronary heart disease: A pan-European case-cohort analysis. Eur Heart J 2018; 39(5): 397-406.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehx448] [PMID: 29020414]
[5]
Csige I, Ujvárosy D, Szabó Z, et al. The impact of obesity on the cardiovascular system. J Diabetes Res 2018; 2018: 3407306.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/3407306] [PMID: 30525052]
[6]
Carbone S, Lavie CJ, Arena R. Obesity and heart failure: Focus on the obesity paradox. Mayo Clinic Proceedings 2017; 92(2): 266-79.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2016.11.001]
[7]
Vicente VS, Cabral NL, Nagel V, Guesser VV, Safanelli J. Prevalence of obesity among stroke patients in five Brazilian cities: A cross-sectional study. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2018; 76(6): 367-72.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/0004-282x20180053] [PMID: 29972418]
[8]
Avgerinos KI, Spyrou N, Mantzoros CS, Dalamaga M. Obesity and cancer risk: Emerging biological mechanisms and perspectives. Metabolism 2019; 92: 121-35.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.metabol.2018.11.001] [PMID: 30445141]
[9]
Polyzos SA, Kountouras J, Mantzoros CS. Obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: From pathophysiology to therapeutics. Metabolism 2019; 92: 82-97.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.metabol.2018.11.014] [PMID: 30502373]
[10]
Wang T, He C. Pro-inflammatory cytokines: The link between obesity and osteoarthritis. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 2018; 44: 38-50.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cytogfr.2018.10.002] [PMID: 30340925]
[11]
Leisegang K, Sengupta P, Agarwal A, Henkel R. Obesity and male infertility: Mechanisms and management. Andrologia 2021; 53(1): e13617.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/and.13617] [PMID: 32399992]
[12]
Hamilton GS, Joosten SA. Obstructive sleep apnoea and obesity. Aust Fam Physician 2017; 46(7): 460-3.
[PMID: 28697288]
[13]
Smati S, Tramunt B, Wargny M, et al. Relationship between obesity and severe COVID-19 outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes: Results from the CORONADO study. Diabetes Obes Metab 2021; 23(2): 391-403.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/dom.14228] [PMID: 33051976]
[14]
Stefan N, Birkenfeld AL, Schulze MB, Ludwig DS. Obesity and impaired metabolic health in patients with COVID-19. Nat Rev Endocrinol 2020; 16(7): 341-2.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41574-020-0364-6] [PMID: 32327737]
[15]
Sattar N, McInnes IB, McMurray JJV. Obesity is a risk factor for severe COVID-19 infection: multiple potential mechanisms. Circulation 2020; 142(1): 4-6.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.120.047659] [PMID: 32320270]
[16]
Lighter J, Phillips M, Hochman S, et al. Obesity in patients younger than 60 years is a risk factor for Covid-19 hospital admission. Clin Infect Dis 2020; 71(15): 896-7.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciaa415] [PMID: 32271368]
[17]
Yang J, Hu J, Zhu C. Obesity aggravates COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Med Virol 2021; 93(1): 257-61.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jmv.26237] [PMID: 32603481]
[18]
Włodarczyk M, Nowicka G. Obesity, DNA damage, and development of obesity-related diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20(5): 1146.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms20051146] [PMID: 30845725]
[19]
Camacho S, Ruppel A. Is the calorie concept a real solution to the obesity epidemic? Global health action 2017; 10(1): 1289650.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2017.1289650]
[20]
Keshavarzi A, Kardeh S, Dehghankhalili M, et al. Mortality and body mass index in burn patients: Experience from a Tertiary Referral Burn Center in Southern Iran. World J Plast Surg 2019; 8(3): 382-7.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.29252/wjps.8.3.382] [PMID: 31620342]
[21]
GBD 2015 Obesity Collaborators. Health effects of overweight and obesity in 195 countries over 25 years. New Eng J Med 2017; 377(1): 13-27.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1614362]
[22]
Haththotuwa RN, Wijeyaratne CN, Senarath U, Mahmood T, Arulkumaran S. Worldwide epidemic of obesity. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2013; 2013: 3-11.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-416045-3.00001-7]
[23]
Di Cesare M, Sorić M, Bovet P, et al. The epidemiological burden of obesity in childhood: A worldwide epidemic requiring urgent action. BMC Med 2019; 17(1): 212.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12916-019-1449-8] [PMID: 31760948]
[24]
Kheniser K, Saxon DR, Kashyap SR. Long-term weight loss strategies for obesity. J Clin Endocrinol Metabol 2021; 106(7): 1854-66.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgab091]
[25]
Amanatullah DF, Ohanisian L, Bailony R. Medications available for weight reduction in elective total joint arthroplasty. JBJS Rev 2020; 8(6): e0123.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.2106/JBJS.RVW.19.00123] [PMID: 33006462]
[26]
Tak YJ, Lee SY. Long-term efficacy and safety of anti-obesity treatment: Where do we stand? Curr Obes Rep 2021; 10(1): 14-30.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13679-020-00422-w] [PMID: 33410104]
[27]
Tak YJ, Lee SY. Anti-obesity drugs: long-term efficacy and safety: an updated review. World J Mens Health 2021; 39(2): 208-21.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.5534/wjmh.200010] [PMID: 32202085]
[28]
Stefura T, Zapała B, Stój A, et al. Does postoperative oral and intestinal microbiota correlate with the weight-loss following bariatric surgery?-A cohort study. J Clin Med 2020; 9(12): 3863.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jcm9123863] [PMID: 33261125]
[29]
Liu Y, Sun M, Yao H, Liu Y, Gao R. Herbal medicine for the treatment of obesity: An overview of scientific evidence from 2007 to 2017. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2017; 2017: 8943059.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/8943059] [PMID: 29234439]
[30]
Ekor M. The growing use of herbal medicines: Issues relating to adverse reactions and challenges in monitoring safety. Front Pharmacol 2014; 4: 177.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2013.00177] [PMID: 24454289]
[31]
Maideen NM, Balasubramanian R, Ramanathan S. Nigella sativa (Black seeds), a potential herb for the pharmacotherapeutic management of hypertension-a review. Curr Cardiol Rev 2020; 16: 1.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1573403X16666201110125906] [PMID: 33172379]
[32]
Maideen NMP. Prophetic medicine-Nigella sativa (Black cumin seeds) - Potential herb for COVID-19? J Pharmacopuncture 2020; 23(2): 62-70.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.3831/KPI.2020.23.3.179] [PMID: 32685234]
[33]
Yimer EM, Tuem KB, Karim A, Ur-Rehman N, Anwar F. Nigella sativa L.(black cumin): a promising natural remedy for wide range of illnesses. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2019; 2019: 1528635.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/1528635] [PMID: 31214267]
[34]
Qidwai W, Hamza HB, Qureshi R, Gilani A. Effectiveness, safety, and tolerability of powdered Nigella sativa (kalonji) seed in capsules on serum lipid levels, blood sugar, blood pressure, and body weight in adults: Results of a randomized, double-blind controlled trial. J Altern Complement Med 2009; 15(6): 639-44.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/acm.2008.0367] [PMID: 19500003]
[35]
Datau EA, Wardhana , Surachmanto EE, Pandelaki K, Langi JA, Fias . Efficacy of Nigella sativa on serum free testosterone and metabolic disturbances in central obese male. Acta Med Indones 2010; 42(3): 130-4.
[PMID: 20724766]
[36]
Hosseini MS, Mirkarimi SA, Amini M, Mohtashami R, Kianbakht S. FALLAH HH. Effects of Nigella sativa L. seed oil in type II diabetic Patients: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Faslnamah-i Giyahan-i Daruyi 2013; 12: 93-9.
[37]
Latiff LA, Parhizkar S, Dollah MA, Hassan ST. Alternative supplement for enhancement of reproductive health and metabolic profile among perimenopausal women: a novel role of Nigella sativa. Iran J Basic Med Sci 2014; 17(12): 980-5.
[PMID: 25859301]
[38]
Farzaneh E, Nia FR, Mehrtash M, Mirmoeini FS, Jalilvand M. The effects of 8-week Nigella sativa supplementation and aerobic training on lipid profile and VO2 max in sedentary overweight females. Int J Prev Med 2014; 5(2): 210-6.
[PMID: 24627749]
[39]
Mahdavi R, Namazi N, Alizadeh M, Farajnia S. Effects of Nigella sativa oil with a low-calorie diet on cardiometabolic risk factors in obese women: A randomized controlled clinical trial. Food Funct 2015; 6(6): 2041-8.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C5FO00316D] [PMID: 26029855]
[40]
Amin F, Islam N, Anila N, Gilani AH. Clinical efficacy of the co-administration of Turmeric and Black seeds (Kalongi) in metabolic syndrome - a double blind randomized controlled trial - TAK-MetS trial. Complement Ther Med 2015; 23(2): 165-74.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2015.01.008] [PMID: 25847554]
[41]
Heshmati J, Namazi N, Memarzadeh MR, Taghizadeh M, Kolahdooz F. Nigella sativa oil affects glucose metabolism and lipid concentrations in patients with type 2 diabetes: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Food Res Int 2015; 70: 87-93.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2015.01.030]
[42]
Namazi N, Mahdavi R, Alizadeh M, Farajnia S. Oxidative stress responses to Nigella sativa oil concurrent with a low-calorie diet in obese women: a randomized, double-blind controlled clinical trial. Phytother Res 2015; 29(11): 1722-8.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ptr.5417] [PMID: 26179113]
[43]
Hozoori M, Fallah Hoseini H, Kolahdooz M, Nasri S, Zadeh Modarress S. The effects of Nigella sativa L. seed oil on BMI, WC and FBS in overweight men: A randomized controlled clinical trial. Advanced Herbal Medicine 2016; 2(4): 35-41.
[44]
Mahdavi R, Alizadeh M, Namazi N, Farajnia S. Changes of body composition and circulating adipokines in response to Nigella sativa oil with a calorie restricted diet in obese women. J Herb Med 2016; 6(2): 67-72.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.hermed.2016.03.003]
[45]
Mahdavi R, Namazi N, Alizadeh M, Farajnia S. Nigella sativa oil with a calorie-restricted diet can improve biomarkers of systemic inflammation in obese women: A randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Clin Lipidol 2016; 10(5): 1203-11.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jacl.2015.11.019] [PMID: 27678438]
[46]
Namazi N, Mahdavi R, Alizadeh M, Farajnia S. The effects of Nigella sativa oil with a balanced low-calorie diet on insulin resistance in obese women: gene-intervention interactions. Curr Top Nutraceutical Res 2016; 14(4): 273-82.
[47]
Farhangi MA, Dehghan P, Tajmiri S, Abbasi MM. The effects of Nigella sativa on thyroid function, serum Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) - 1, Nesfatin-1 and anthropometric features in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis: A randomized controlled trial. BMC Complement Altern Med 2016; 16(1): 471.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12906-016-1432-2] [PMID: 27852303]
[48]
Hussain M, Tunio AG, Akhtar L, Shaikh GS. Effects of Nigella sativa on various parameters in Patients of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad 2017; 29(3): 403-7.
[PMID: 29076670]
[49]
Hosseini SM, Razmgah GR, Nematy M, et al. Efficacy of black seed (Nigella sativa) and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A randomized controlled clinical trial. Iran Red Crescent Med J 2018; 20(3): e59183.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.5812/ircmj.59183]
[50]
Rao AS, Hegde S, Pacioretty LM, DeBenedetto J, Babish JG. Nigella sativa and Trigonella foenum-graecum supplemented chapatis safely improve HbA1c, body weight, waist circumference, blood lipids, and fatty liver in overweight and diabetic subjects: A twelve-week safety and efficacy study. J Med Food 2020; 23(9): 905-19.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/jmf.2020.0075] [PMID: 32758056]
[51]
Mohtashami A. Effects of bread with Nigella sativa on blood glucose, blood pressure and anthropometric indices in patients with metabolic syndrome. Clin Nutr Res 2019; 8(2): 138-47.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.7762/cnr.2019.8.2.138] [PMID: 31089467]
[52]
Razmpoosh E, Safi S, Nadjarzadeh A, et al. The effect of Nigella sativa supplementation on cardiovascular risk factors in obese and overweight women: A crossover, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial. Eur J Nutr 2021; 60(4): 1863-74.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00394-020-02374-2] [PMID: 32876804]
[53]
Safi S, Razmpoosh E, Fallahzadeh H, et al. The effect of Nigella sativa on appetite, anthropometric and body composition indices among overweight and obese women: A crossover, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial. Complement Ther Med 2021; 57: 102653.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102653] [PMID: 33370571]
[54]
Krishnan S, Cooper JA. Effect of dietary fatty acid composition on substrate utilization and body weight maintenance in humans. Eur J Nutr 2014; 53(3): 691-710.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00394-013-0638-z] [PMID: 24363161]
[55]
Mousavi SM, Sheikhi A, Varkaneh HK, Zarezadeh M, Rahmani J, Milajerdi A. Effect of Nigella sativa supplementation on obesity indices: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Complement Ther Med 2018; 38: 48-57.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2018.04.003] [PMID: 29857879]
[56]
Benhaddou-Andaloussi A, Martineau LC, Vallerand D, et al. Multiple molecular targets underlie the antidiabetic effect of Nigella sativa seed extract in skeletal muscle, adipocyte and liver cells. Diabetes Obes Metab 2010; 12(2): 148-57.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1463-1326.2009.01131.x] [PMID: 19788435]
[57]
Meddah B, Ducroc R, El Abbes Faouzi M, et al. Nigella sativa inhibits intestinal glucose absorption and improves glucose tolerance in rats. J Ethnopharmacol 2009; 121(3): 419-24.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2008.10.040] [PMID: 19061948]
[58]
Salehi B, Quispe C, Imran M, et al. Nigella plants - traditional uses, bioactive phytoconstituents, preclinical and clinical studies. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12: 625386.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2021.625386] [PMID: 33981219]
[59]
Maideen NM. Pharmacodynamic interactions of thiazide diuretics. Int J Med Dev C 2020; 4(6): 1007-10.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.24911/IJMDC.51-1559103046]

Rights & Permissions Print Cite
© 2024 Bentham Science Publishers | Privacy Policy