A review of the effects of Nigella sativa L. and its constituent, thymoquinone, in metabolic syndrome

Background Metabolic syndrome is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) occurrence and mortality. CVDs are leading cause of death worldwide. Recently, there has been an increasing interest in the use of herbal medicines with more efficiency and minimal undesirable effects than chemical drugs for a variety of disorders including CVD. Nigella sativa and its active constituent, thymoquinone, have been documented to exhibit antidiabetic, antiobesity, hypotensive and hypolipidemic properties. Aim In this review, we discussed the most relevant articles to find out the role of N. sativa in different components of metabolic syndrome and CVD risk factors including high blood pressure, obesity, dyslipidemia and high blood glucose. Conclusions This review suggests a potential role of N. sativa and TQ in the management of metabolic syndrome, however more studies should be conducted to evaluate their effectiveness.