Home 
Contact 
Profile 
Videos 
Lecture to 3rd year Pharmacy students at Kuantan 15th March 2005 by Professor Omar Hasan Kasule, Sr.
Tibb Nabawi refers to words and actions of the Prophet with a bearing on disease, treatment of disease, and care of patients. Thus also included are words of the prophet on medical matters, medical treatment practiced by others on the prophet, medical treatments practiced by the prophet on himself and others, medical treatments observed by the prophet with no objections, medical procedures that the prophet heard or knew about and did not prohibit, or medical practices that were so common that the prophet could not have failed to know about them.
Tibb nabawi is not one monolithic or systematic medical system. It is varied and circumstantial. It covers preventive[1], curative[2], and spiritual[3] approaches to disease. It integrates mind and body, matter and spirit.
Tibb nabawi is in essence a result of Islamization of pre-Islamic Arabian medicine in Hejaz. Tibb nabawi has several sources: revelation, wahy (Qur’an[4] and sunnat[5]), empirical experience of the prophet, folk medicine of that time in the Arabian peninsular, and medical knowledge of other communities that could have been known in Makka or Madina at the time of the prophet.
The spiritual remedies as well as general guidelines on preventive medicine in tibb nabawi are applicable to all places, all times, and all circumstances. The specific physical remedies of tibb nabawi were specific for place, population, and time but could be generalized after empirical research.
Tibb Nabawi is part of the open and flexible part of the shari’at: The flexible part has general principles from the Law-giver but the practical applications are open to the human effort of ijtihad. These applications will of necessity vary by place and time. Thus the general principles of tibb nabawi are applicable at all times and places but the specific remedies do change with change of time and place based on the level of scientific knowledge and technological caoabilities.
The scope of tibb nabawi is not inclusive of all branches of medicine. Tibb Nabawi as reported to us did not cover every conceivable disease at the time of the Prophet neither can it cover all ailments today or in the future in various parts of the world. This is easy to understand from the context that although the Prophet practiced medicine, his primary mission was not medicine and he was not a full-time physician. The hadiths of the Prophet should not be looked at as a textbook of medicine. They should be used for the diseases that they dealt with. The proper way to get additional medical knowledge is through research and looking for signs of Allah in the universe[6].
Tibb nabawi is valid, effective, and useful. Whatever the Prophet said or did was true because he never uttered any untruth[7]. There are however considerations that prevent us from direct and automatic application of remedies of tibb nabawi to contemporary conditions. If the diagnosis of a disease and all the circumstances surrounding it are exactly like those at the time of the Prophet, then we have no hesitation in saying tibb nabawi should be used. In reality changes (in disease pathology, in the genetic pool of the patients, in the genetic pool of the medicinal plants, in weather and climatic conditions, and in meanings terms referring to diseases or treatment modalities) preclude automatic application of remedies as reported in the hadith. We can therefore conclude that the teachings of tibb nabawi can only be a foundation to guide and encourage scientific research for remedies that are suitable for our times.
Over the past 20 years scientific research has been undertaken on 2 remedies of tibb nabawi: the black seed (nigella sativa) and honey. Motivation for medical research is found in both the Qur’an[8] and sunnat[9]. Studies of nigella sativa (animal laboratory and clinical on in humans) have investigated its chemical and pharmacological properties[10]. Studies have also been undertaken on the following effects of nigella sativa: anti-pyretic[11], analgesic[12], cardiovascular[13], neurologic[14], reproductive[15], respiratory[16], hematological[17], allergic[18], Immunologic[19], anti- inflammatory[20], metabolic[21], diuretic[22] anti-microbial[23], anti-fungal[24] and anti-helminthic[25]. It has been found to play a role in protection of tissues against toxic damage as well as repair and healing of injured tissue[26]. It also has anti-neoplastic[27] and anti-oxidant activity[28]. Studies have also demonstrated low toxicity of nigella sativa[29] which explains its popularity and widespread use over many centuries and in many countries.
Research on honey has covered the following aspects.
This intense research activity testifies to what we said above that tibb nabawi is dynamic and can grow and its remedies should be subjected to modern research for best effect.
We can conclude from the discussions above that tibb nabawi is a valid medical system whose general principles are eternal but whose practical remedies need to be subjected to research in order to know how best to use them in the modern era. Tibb nabawi is part of a wide spectrum of medical systems that fulfil Islamic criteria. It is not valid to confine the term Islamic medicine to tibb nabawi standing in isolation.
FOOTNOTE
1 Most of tibb nabawi is preventive medicine which is a very advanced concept given the level of scientific knowledge at the prophet's time and certainly must have been divinely inspired. Some of the preventive measures taught by the Prophet were: dietary guidelines, physical exercise, quarantine for epidemics, hijr sihhi, forbidding urination in stagnant water, use of tooth stick, siwaak, precautions in the house at night against accidental fire and pests, leaving a country because of its water and climate, marriage and mental health, marriage and sexual health, dietary control to avoid excesses, cleanliness and avoiding filth.
2 Ibn Qayim al Jawziyat in his book al tibb al nabawi listed many diseases with their recommended treatments. Some diseases in tibb nabawi are treatable by natural remedies for example fever, humma; bowel movements, istitlaq al batan; dropsy, istisqa; wounds, jarh; epilepsy, sar’a; sciatica, ‘irq al nisa; temperaments, tabau’; skin itch, hakk al jism; pleurisy, dhaat al janb; headache and hemicrania, sidau and shaqiiqat; inflammation of the throat, ‘adhrat; enlargement of the heart, al maf’uud; ophthalmia, al ramad; catalepsy, khudran al kulli; pimples, bathrat; skin eruptions, awraam; food poisoning, sum; witchcraft, sihr; and head lice. He also mentioned other diseases with their diverse treatments like plague, leprosy, eye diseases, throat and tonsils, diarrhea, abdominal disease, fever, plague, snake bite, scorpion bite, food contamination by a fly, headache, nose bleeds, teeth, cough, dropsy, sprain, fracture, bite by rabid dog, and the evil eye. He mentioned several general medical treatments like honey, al 'asal; cold water for fever, al mau al barid; diet, ghadha; milk, al laban; camel milk; and camel urine. The black seed, al habba al sauda, was especially emphasized. Among surgical treatments mentioned were cupping, al hijaam; cauterization, al kayy; and venesection with cauterization, qatiu al uruuq wa al kayy.
3 Study of tibb nabawi reveals that there are spiritual aspects of healing and recovery. Salat, dua, tilawat al Qur’an, and dhikr, and dhikr play a central role. Psychosomatic diseases could respond to spiritual approaches. The use of ruqyat falls between physical curative and spiritual cures. The physical curative part of ruqyat can be understood in modern terms in the way the psyche can modulate immune mechanisms that protect against disease.
4 The Qur’an talks about physical ill health (2:196, 24:61, 48:17, 2:184-5, 4:43) and mental ill-health/diseases of the heart(10:57, 2:10, 74:31, 24:50, 22:53, 33:32). The Qur’an itself is a cure (17:82). It contains dua for good health as well as guidances on specific therapy such as honey (16:69), eating only hood halal food, avoiding unhealthy haram food (2:168, 2:172-173, 6:145-146, 16:114-115, 5:2, 5:4-5), and not in eating excessive amounts of food (7:31). Medical guidelines in the Qur’an are more appropriately related to general principles of a balanced life style that the Qur’an enunciated rather those specifics of medicine. Scientific explanations for Qu’ranic verses related to medicine (such as contagion, adwah; alcohol, creation, and saum) or establishing medicinal value of plants (zaitoon, tiin, dates, milk, and fruits) usually lacks scientific rigor or accuracy and has created more confusion than clarity. It can also mislead some people into thinking that they know the full reasons behind a certain Qur’anic injunction based on scientific medical evidence. Unless clearly stated in the Qur’an itself or by authentic sunnah, the reasons behind Qur’anic injunctions are unknowable to us with certainty. All we can do is research and make Ijtihad, we could be right or wrong. We must have the humility to realize that we may not reach the whole truth and the scientific explanations that we propose may be wrong or may be only part of the explanation.
5 Hadith is the second source of tibb nabawi. The total number of hadiths on medicine is about 300; many do not reach the degree of hasan. Bukhari in his Sahih narrated 129 hadiths directly related to medicine. He devoted two books to medicine: kitaab al tibb and kitaab al mardhah. There are many other hadiths in Bukhari indirectly related to medicine. Other books of hadith also narrate more hadiths with relevance to medicine. Hadiths on physical remedies are either wahy or based on empirical experience. In most cases we cannot distinguish between the two types unless there is a specific indication that wahy is involved such as in the hadith of using honey in treating an abdominal ailment of a brother of a companion.
6 (2:164, 3:190, 10:5-6, 30:20-27, 39:59, 51:20-23)
7 The ijtihad of the prophet even in worldly matters was protected, ma'suum. The Qur'an and hadith have records of divine intervention to comment on the prophet's ijtihad on worldly matters such his advice on some aspects of agriculture that he later withdrew. Thus the record of authentic hadith that we have is valid whether in 'aqidat or worldly matters. The attempt to distinguish between the medical teachings of the prophet-messenger and as a human living in Arabia at a particular historical epoch is not easy and is of no practical significance. As part of respect for the Prophet we follow him even in human matters that were not within the direct purview of wahy because he was a human model of perfect behavior.
8 The Qur’an is not a textbook of medicine but is a book of moral guidance. It contains basic principles and and guidance on medical matters leaving the room open for humans to undertake research and fill in the details.
9 The Prophet enunciated a basic principle in medicine that for every disease there is cure (ma anzala allahu daa; illa anzala lahu shifa'a- Kitaab al Tibb, al Bukhari). This is an impetus for us to look for remedies. Thus the prophetic medical tradition does not stop at only the medical teachings of the prophet but goes beyond to encourage humans to search and experiment with new treatment modalities. This implies among other things that prophetic medicine is not static. There is room for growth and even breaking new ground.
10 Ali BH, Blunden G. Pharmacological and toxicological properties of Nigella sativa. Phytother Res. 2003 Apr;17(4):299-305. ; El-Ghamery AA, El-Kholy MA, Abou El-Yousser MA. Evaluation of cytological effects of Zn2+ in relation to germination and root growth of Nigella sativa L. and Triticum aestivum L. Mutat Res. 2003 May 9;537(1):29-41. Ghosheh OA, Houdi AA, Crooks PA.. High performance liquid chromatographic analysis of the pharmacologically active quinones and related compounds in the oil of the black seed (Nigella sativa L.). J Pharm Biomed Anal. 1999 Apr;19(5):757-62. Michelitsch A, Rittmannsberger A. A simple differential pulse polarographic method for the determination of thymoquinone in black seed oil. Phytochem Anal. 2003 Jul-Aug;14(4):224-7.
11 Al-Ghamdi MS. The anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activity of Nigella sativa. J Ethnopharmacol. 2001 Jun;76(1):45-8.
12 (Abdel-Fattah AM, Matsumoto K, Watanabe H. Antinociceptive effects of Nigella sativa oil and its major component, thymoquinone, in mice. Eur J Pharmacol. 2000 Jul 14;400(1):89-97; Al-Ghamdi MS. The anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activity of Nigella sativa. J Ethnopharmacol. 2001 Jun;76(1):45-8.; Al-Naggar TB, Gomez-Serranillos MP, Carretero ME, Villar AM. Neuropharmacological activity of Nigella sativa L. extracts. J Ethnopharmacol. 2003 Sep;88(1):63-8; Hajhashemi V, Ghannadi A, Jafarabadi H. Black cumin seed essential oil, as a potent analgesic and antiinflammatory drug. Phytother Res. 2004 Mar;18(3):195-9.;
13 el Tahir KE, Ashour MM, al-Harbi MM. The cardiovascular actions of the volatile oil of the black seed (Nigella sativa) in rats: elucidation of the mechanism of action. Gen Pharmacol. 1993 Sep;24(5):1123-31. 1.
14 Hosseinzadeh H, Parvardeh S. Anticonvulsant effects of thymoquinone, the major constituent of Nigella sativa seeds, in mice. Phytomedicine. 2004 Jan;11(1):56-64.
15 Keshri G, Singh MM, Lakshmi V, Kamboj VP. Post-coital contraceptive efficacy of the seeds of Nigella sativa in rats. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol. 1995 Jan;39(1):59-62.
16 Al-Majed AA, Daba MH, Asiri YA, Al-Shabanah OA, Mostafa AA, El-Kashef HA. Thymoquinone-induced relaxation of guinea-pig isolated trachea. Res Commun Mol Pathol Pharmacol. 2001;110(5-6):333-45.; el Tahir KE, Ashour MM, al-Harbi MM. The respiratory effects of the volatile oil of the black seed (Nigella sativa) in guinea-pigs: elucidation of the mechanism(s) of action. Gen Pharmacol. 1993 Sep;24(5):1115-22. 1. Gilani AH, Aziz N, Khurram IM, Chaudhary KS, Iqbal A. Bronchodilator, spasmolytic and calcium antagonist activities of Nigella sativa seeds (Kalonji): a traditional herbal product with multiple medicinal uses. J Pak Med Assoc. 2001 Mar;51(3):115-20.; Gilani AH, Aziz N, Khurram IM, Chaudhary KS, Iqbal A.. Bronchodilator, spasmolytic and calcium antagonist activities of Nigella sativa seeds (Kalonji): a traditional herbal product with multiple medicinal uses. J Pak Med Assoc. 2001 Mar;51(3):115-20.
17 Enomoto S, Asano R, Iwahori Y, Narui T, Okada Y, Singab AN, Okuyama T. Hematological studies on black cumin oil from the seeds of Nigella sativa L. Biol Pharm Bull. 2001 Mar;24(3):307-10.; Al-Jishi SA, Abuo Hozaifa B. Effect of Nigella sativa on blood hemostatic function in rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 2003 Mar;85(1):7-14. ;
18 Kalus U, Pruss A, Bystron J, Jurecka M, Smekalova A, Lichius JJ, Kiesewetter H. Effect of Nigella sativa (black seed) on subjective feeling in patients with allergic diseases. Phytother Res. 2003 Dec;17(10):1209-14.).
19 Swamy SM, Tan BK. Cytotoxic and immunopotentiating effects of ethanolic extract of Nigella sativa L. seeds. J Ethnopharmacol. 2000 Apr;70(1):1-7.); Fararh KM, Atoji Y, Shimizu Y, Shiina T, Nikami H, Takewaki T. Mechanisms of the hypoglycaemic and immunopotentiating effects of Nigella sativa L. oil in streptozotocin-induced diabetic hamsters. Res Vet Sci. 2004 Oct;77(2):123-9; Islam SN, Begum P, Ahsan T, Huque S, Ahsan M. Immunosuppressive and cytotoxic properties of Nigella sativa. Phytother Res. 2004 May;18(5):395-8.; Haq A, Abdullatif M, Lobo PI, Khabar KS, Sheth KV, al-Sedairy ST. Nigella sativa: effect on human lymphocytes and polymorphonuclear leukocyte phagocytic activity. Immunopharmacology. 1995 Aug;30(2):147-55.; Haq A, Lobo PI, Al-Tufail M, Rama NR, Al-Sedairy ST. Immunomodulatory effect of Nigella sativa proteins fractionated by ion exchange chromatography. Int J Immunopharmacol. 1999 Apr;21(4):283-95.; Swamy SM, Tan BK. Cytotoxic and immunopotentiating effects of ethanolic extract of Nigella sativa L. seeds. J Ethnopharmacol. 2000 Apr;70(1):1-7.;
20 Hajhashemi V, Ghannadi A, Jafarabadi H. Black cumin seed essential oil, as a potent analgesic and antiinflammatory drug. Phytother Res. 2004 Mar;18(3):195-9.; Houghton PJ, Zarka R, de las Heras B, Hoult JR. Fixed oil of Nigella sativa and derived thymoquinone inhibit eicosanoid generation in leukocytes and membrane lipid peroxidation. Planta Med. 1995 Feb;61(1):33-6.; Al-Ghamdi MS. The anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activity of Nigella sativa. J Ethnopharmacol. 2001 Jun;76(1):45-8.;
21 Fararh KM, Atoji Y, Shimizu Y, Takewaki T. Isulinotropic properties of Nigella sativa oil in Streptozotocin plus Nicotinamide diabetic hamster. Res Vet Sci. 2002 Dec;73(3):279-82. ; Agrawala IP, Achar MV, Tamankar BP. Galactogogue action of Nigella sativa. Indian J Med Sci. 1971 Aug;25(8):535-7; al-Awadi F, Fatania H, Shamte U. The effect of a plants mixture extract on liver gluconeogenesis in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Diabetes Res. 1991 Dec;18(4):163-8;. Al-Awadi FM, Gumaa KA. Studies on the activity of individual plants of an antidiabetic plant mixture. Acta Diabetol Lat. 1987 Jan-Mar;24(1):37-41. El-Dakhakhny M, Mady N, Lembert N, Ammon HP. The hypoglycemic effect of Nigella sativa oil is mediated by extrapancreatic actions. Planta Med. 2002 May;68(5):465-6.; Fararh KM, Atoji Y, Shimizu Y, Shiina T, Nikami H, Takewaki T. Mechanisms of the hypoglycaemic and immunopotentiating effects of Nigella sativa L. oil in streptozotocin-induced diabetic hamsters. Res Vet Sci. 2004 Oct;77(2):123-9. Kanter M, Coskun O, Korkmaz A, Oter S. Effects of Nigella sativa on oxidative stress and beta-cell damage in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Anat Rec A Discov Mol Cell Evol Biol. 2004 Jul;279(1):685-91.; Le PM, Benhaddou-Andaloussi A, Elimadi A, Settaf A, Cherrah Y, Haddad PS..The petroleum ether extract of Nigella sativa exerts lipid-lowering and insulin-sensitizing actions in the rat. J Ethnopharmacol. 2004 Oct;94(2-3):251-9. Meral I, Yener Z, Kahraman T, Mert N. Effect of Nigella sativa on glucose concentration, lipid peroxidation, anti-oxidant defence system and liver damage in experimentally-induced diabetic rabbits. J Vet Med A Physiol Pathol Clin Med. 2001 Dec;48(10):593-9; Morikawa T, Xu F, Kashima Y, Matsuda H, Ninomiya K, Yoshikawa M. Novel dolabellane-type diterpene alkaloids with lipid metabolism promoting activities from the seeds of Nigella sativa. Org Lett. 2004 Mar 18;6(6):869-72. Morikawa T, Xu F, Ninomiya K, Matsuda H, Yoshikawa M. Nigellamines A3, A4, A5, and C, new dolabellane-type diterpene alkaloids, with lipid metabolism-promoting activities from the Egyptian medicinal food black cumin. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo). 2004 Apr;52(4):494-7. Rchid H, Chevassus H, Nmila R, Guiral C, Petit P, Chokairi M, Sauvaire Y. Nigella sativa seed extracts enhance glucose-induced insulin release from rat-isolated Langerhans islets. Fundam Clin Pharmacol. 2004 Oct;18(5):525-9.;
22 Zaoui A, Cherrah Y, Lacaille-Dubois MA, Settaf A, Amarouch H, Hassar M.. [Diuretic and hypotensive effects of Nigella sativa in the spontaneously hypertensive rat] Therapie. 2000 May-Jun;55(3):379-82.
23 Hanafy MS, Hatem ME. Studies on the antimicrobial activity of Nigella sativa seed (black cumin). J Ethnopharmacol. 1991 Sep;34(2-3):275-8.); Agarwal R, Kharya MD, Shrivastava R. Antimicrobial & anthelmintic activities of the essential oil of Nigella sativa Linn. Indian J Exp Biol. 1979 Nov;17(11):1264-5. El-Fatatry HM. Isolation and structure assignment of an antimicrobial principle from the volatile oil of Nigella sativa L. seeds. Pharmazie. 1975 Feb;30(2):109-11.; Khan MA,; Morsi NM. Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Egypt. Antimicrobial effect of crude extracts of Nigella sativa on multiple antibiotics-resistant bacteria. Acta Microbiol Pol. 2000;49(1):63-74.; Salem ML, Hossain MS. Protective effect of black seed oil from Nigella sativa against murine cytomegalovirus infection. Int J Immunopharmacol. 2000 Sep;22(9):729-40.; Toppozada HH, Mazloum HA, el-Dakhakhny M. The antibacterial properties of the Nigella sativa l. seeds. Active principle with some clinical applications. J Egypt Med Assoc. 1965;48:Suppl:187-202.
24 Ashfaq MK, Zuberi HS, Mahmood MS, Gilani AH. The in vivo antifungal activity of the aqueous extract from Nigella sativa seeds. Phytother Res. 2003 Feb;17(2):183-6.
25 Akhtar MS, Riffat S. Field trial of Saussurea lappa roots against nematodes and Nigella sativa seeds against cestodes in children. J Pak Med Assoc. 1991 Aug;41(8):185-7; Agarwal R, Kharya MD, Shrivastava R. Antimicrobial & anthelmintic activities of the essential oil of Nigella sativa Linn. Indian J Exp Biol. 1979 Nov;17(11):1264-5.;
26 Kirui PK, Cameron J, Benghuzzi HA, Tucci M, Patel R, Adah F, Russell G. Effects of sustained delivery of thymoqiunone on bone healing of male rats. Biomed Sci Instrum. 2004;40:111-6. ; Aboul-Ela EI. Cytogenetic studies on Nigella sativa seeds extract and thymoquinone on mouse cells infected with schistosomiasis using karyotyping. Mutat Res. 2002 Apr 26;516(1-2):11-7.; Al-Ghamdi MS. Protective effect of Nigella sativa seeds against carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage. Am J Chin Med. 2003;31(5):721-8.; Badary OA, Abdel-Naim AB, Abdel-Wahab MH, Hamada FM. The influence of thymoquinone on doxorubicin-induced hyperlipidemic nephropathy in rats. Toxicology. 2000 Mar 7;143(3):219-26. Badary OA. Thymoquinone attenuates ifosfamide-induced Fanconi syndrome in rats and enhances its antitumor activity in mice. J Ethnopharmacol. 1999 Nov 1;67(2):135-42. Corder C, Benghuzzi H, Tucci M, Cason Z. Delayed apoptosis upon the treatment of Hep-2 cells with black seed. Biomed Sci Instrum. 2003;39:365-70. Daba MH, Abdel-Rahman MS. Hepatoprotective activity of thymoquinone in isolated rat hepatocytes. Toxicol Lett. 1998 Mar 16;95(1):23-9. el Daly ES.. Protective effect of cysteine and vitamin E, Crocus sativus and Nigella sativa extracts on cisplatin-induced toxicity in rats. J Pharm Belg. 1998 Mar-Apr;53(2):87-93; El-Abhar HS, Abdallah DM, Saleh S..Gastroprotective activity of Nigella sativa oil and its constituent, thymoquinone, against gastric mucosal injury induced by ischaemia/reperfusion in rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 2003 Feb;84(2-3):251-8.; El-Dakhakhny M, Barakat M, El-Halim MA, Aly SM. Effects of Nigella sativa oil on gastric secretion and ethanol induced ulcer in rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 2000 Sep;72(1-2):299-304.; El-Dakhakhny M, Madi NJ, Lembert N, Ammon HP. Nigella sativa oil, nigellone and derived thymoquinone inhibit synthesis of 5-lipoxygenase products in polymorphonuclear leukocytes from rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 2002 Jul;81(2):161-4.; el-Dakhakhny M, Mady NI, Halim MA.. Gunduz H, Dede S, Agaoglu ZT, Atasoy N, Mert N. Serum trace elements status of rabbits supplemented with Nigella sativa, vitamins C and E, and selenium against damage by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2002 Oct;89(1):65-73. Hansen JT, Benghuzzi H, Tucci M, Cason Z. The role of black seed in the proliferation and biochemical marker levels of Hep-2 cells. Biomed Sci Instrum. 2003;39:371-6. Kanter M, Meral I, Yener Z, Ozbek H, Demir H.. Partial regeneration/proliferation of the beta-cells in the islets of Langerhans by Nigella sativa L. in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Tohoku J Exp Med. 2003 Dec;201(4):213-9.; Mahmoud MR, El-Abhar HS, Saleh S.. The effect of Nigella sativa oil against the liver damage induced by Schistosoma mansoni infection in mice. J Ethnopharmacol. 2002 Jan;79(1):1-11.; Mansour MA, Ginawi OT, El-Hadiyah T, El-Khatib AS, Al-Shabanah OA, Al-Sawaf HA.. Effects of volatile oil constituents of Nigella sativa on carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in mice: evidence for antioxidant effects of thymoquinone. Res Commun Mol Pathol Pharmacol. 2001;110(3-4):239-51;. Meral I, Kanter M. Fizyoloji Anabilim Dali,. Effects of Nigella sativa L. and Urtica dioica L. on selected mineral status and hematological values in CCl4-treated rats. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2003 Winter;96(1-3):263-70. Nagi MN, Alam K, Badary OA, al-Shabanah OA, al-Sawaf HA, al-Bekairi AM.. Thymoquinone protects against carbon tetrachloride hepatotoxicity in mice via an antioxidant mechanism. Biochem Mol Biol Int. 1999 Jan;47(1):153-9.; Nair SC, Salomi MJ, Panikkar B, Panikkar KR..Modulatory effects of Crocus sativus and Nigella sativa extracts on cisplatin-induced toxicity in mice. J Ethnopharmacol. 1991 Jan;31(1):75-83. Turkdogan MK, Ozbek H, Yener Z, Tuncer I, Uygan I, Ceylan E. The role of Urtica dioica and Nigella sativa in the prevention of carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Phytother Res. 2003 Sep;17(8):942-6. Ali BH. The effect of Nigella sativa oil on gentamicin nephrotoxicity in rats. Am J Chin Med. 2004;32(1):49-55.
27 Gali-Muhtasib H, Diab-Assaf M, Boltze C, Al-Hmaira J, Hartig R, Roessner A, Schneider-Stock R.. Thymoquinone extracted from black seed triggers apoptotic cell death in human colorectal cancer cells via a p53-dependent mechanism. Int J Oncol. 2004 Oct;25(4):857-66.; Awad EM. In vitro decreases of the fibrinolytic potential of cultured human fibrosarcoma cell line, HT1080, by Nigella sativa oil. Phytomedicine. 2005 Jan;12(1-2):100-7.; Badary OA, Al-Shabanah OA, Nagi MN, Al-Rikabi AC, Elmazar MM.. Inhibition of benzo(a)pyrene-induced forestomach carcinogenesis in mice by thymoquinone. Eur J Cancer Prev. 1999 Oct;8(5):435-40.; Badary OA, Gamal El-Din AM.. Inhibitory effects of thymoquinone against 20-methylcholanthrene-induced fibrosarcoma tumorigenesis. Cancer Detect Prev. 2001;25(4):362-8.; Farah IO, Begum RA. Effect of Nigella sativa (N. sativa L.) and oxidative stress on the survival pattern of MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Biomed Sci Instrum. 2003;39:359-64.; Kumara SS, Huat BT.. Extraction, isolation and characterisation of antitumor principle, alpha-hederin, from the seeds of Nigella sativa. Planta Med. 2001 Feb;67(1):29-32.; Mabrouk GM, Moselhy SS, Zohny SF, Ali EM, Helal TE, Amin AA, Khalifa AA. Inhibition of methylnitrosourea (MNU) induced oxidative stress and carcinogenesis by orally administered bee honey and Nigella grains in Sprague Dawely rats. J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 2002 Sep;21(3):341-6.; Salim EI, Fukushima S. Chemopreventive potential of volatile oil from black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) seeds against rat colon carcinogenesis. Nutr Cancer. 2003;45(2):195-202.; Salomi MJ, Nair SC, Panikkar KR. Inhibitory effects of Nigella sativa and saffron (Crocus sativus) on chemical carcinogenesis in mice. Nutr Cancer. 1991;16(1):67-72. Salomi NJ, Nair SC, Jayawardhanan KK, Varghese CD, Panikkar KR. Antitumour principles from Nigella sativa seeds. Cancer Lett. 1992 Mar 31;63(1):41-6. Swamy SM, Huat BT. Intracellular glutathione depletion and reactive oxygen species generation are important in alpha-hederin-induced apoptosis of P388 cells. Mol Cell Biochem. 2003 Mar;245(1-2):127-39. ;Worthen DR, Ghosheh OA, Crooks PA. The in vitro anti-tumor activity of some crude and purified components of blackseed, Nigella sativa L. Anticancer Res. 1998 May-Jun;18(3A):1527-32. Iddamaldeniya SS, Wickramasinghe N, Thabrew I, Ratnatunge N, Thammitiyagodage MG.. Protection against diethylnitrosoamine-induced hepatocarcinogenesis by an indigenous medicine comprised of Nigella sativa, Hemidesmus indicus and Smilax glabra: a preliminary study. J Carcinog. 2003 Oct 18;2(1):6.
28 Badary OA, Taha RA, Gamal el-Din AM, Abdel-Wahab MH. Thymoquinone is a potent superoxide anion scavenger. Drug Chem Toxicol. 2003 May;26(2):87-98.; Burits M, Bucar F. Antioxidant activity of Nigella sativa essential oil. Phytother Res. 2000 Aug;14(5):323-8.; Kanter M, Meral I, Dede S, Gunduz H, Cemek M, Ozbek H, Uygan I. Effects of Nigella sativa L. and Urtica dioica L. on lipid peroxidation, antioxidant enzyme systems and some liver enzymes in CCl4-treated rats. J Vet Med A Physiol Pathol Clin Med. 2003 Jun;50(5):264-8 and J Vet Med A Physiol Pathol Clin Med. 2003 Sep;50(7):383.; Khan N, Sharma S, Sultana S. Nigella sativa (black cumin) ameliorates potassium bromate-induced early events of carcinogenesis: diminution of oxidative stress. Hum Exp Toxicol. 2003 Apr;22(4):193-203. Ramadan MF, Kroh LW, Morsel JT. Radical scavenging activity of black cumin (Nigella sativa L.), coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.), and niger (Guizotia abyssinica Cass.) crude seed oils and oil fractions. J Agric Food Chem. 2003 Nov 19;51(24):6961-9. Suboh SM, Bilto YY, Aburjai TA. Protective effects of selected medicinal plants against protein degradation, lipid peroxidation and deformability loss of oxidatively stressed human erythrocytes. Phytother Res. 2004 Apr;18(4):280-4. El-Saleh SC, Al-Sagair OA, Al-Khalaf MI. Thymoquinone and Nigella sativa oil protection against methionine-induced hyperhomocysteinemia in rats. Int J Cardiol. 2004 Jan;93(1):19-23.
29 Zaoui A, Cherrah Y, Mahassini N, Alaoui K, Amarouch H, Hassar M. Acute and chronic toxicity of Nigella sativa fixed oil. Phytomedicine. 2002 Jan;9(1):69-74.; Tennekoon KH, Jeevathayaparan S, Kurukulasooriya AP, Karunanayake EH. Possible hepatotoxicity of Nigella sativa seeds and Dregea volubilis leaves. J Ethnopharmacol. 1991 Mar;31(3):283-9.