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

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, alpha-thujene, longifolene, beta-pinene, alpha-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 center dot radical in comparison with synthetic antioxidants. The diversity of applications to which Nigella sativa essential oil can be put gives this oil industrial importance.