Nigella sativa is an annual flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae, native to south
and southwest Asia. It grows to 20–30 cm tall, with finely divided, linear leaves.
The flowers are delicate, and usually coloured pale blue and white, with five to ten petals.
The fruit is a large and inflated capsule composed of three to seven united follicles,
each containing numerous seeds. The seed is used as a spice, sometimes as a replacement
for original black cumin.
Etymology The scientific name is a derivative of Latin
niger. Common names
In English, Nigella sativa seed is variously called fennel flower, nutmeg flower, black
caraway, and Roman coriander. Other names used, sometimes misleadingly, are black cumin,
onion seed and black sesame. Blackseed and black caraway may also refer to Bunium persicum.
The seeds are frequently referred to as black cumin, but black cumin /kala jeera is different
from Nigella sativa. Original black cumin is Carum Bulbocastanum. In Kannada it is called
[ಕೃಷ್ಣ ಜೀರಿಗೆ] Krishna jeerige, but this is also used for a different
spice, Bunium persicum. In English-speaking countries with large immigrant
populations, it is also variously known as الحبّة السوداء al-ḥabbah al-sawdāʼ
'the black seed' or حبّة البركة ḥabbat al-barakah 'the seed of blessing',
kaljeera, kalo jira, קצח qetsaḥ, kalonji or mangrail, jintan hitam, reşke, काळा
जिरा kāḷā jirā, سیاه‌دانه siyāh dāne, чернушка chernushka
or калинджи kalindzhi, கருஞ்சீரகம் karuñcīrakam, çörek otu, garacocco, karim
jeerakam in Malayalam or කළු දුරු in Sinhala,
karto jeera in Beary, in Myanmar. It is used as part of the spice mixture paanch
phoran or panch phoron and by itself in a great many recipes in Bengali cookery and
most recognizably in naan bread. The Turkish name çörek otu literally means
"bun's herb" from its use in flavouring the çörek buns. Such braided-dough buns are
widespread in the cuisines of Turkey and its neighbours. In Bosnian, the Turkish name for
N. sativa is spelled as čurekot. The seed is used in Bosnia, and particularly its capital
Sarajevo, to flavour pastries often baked on Muslim religious holidays.
Characteristics Nigella sativa has a pungent bitter taste
and smell. It is used primarily in confectionery and liquors. Peshawari naan is, as a rule,
topped with kalonji seeds. Nigella is also used in Armenian string cheese, a braided
string cheese called majdouleh or majdouli in the Middle East.
History According to Zohary and Hopf, archaeological
evidence about the earliest cultivation of N. sativa "is still scanty", but they report
supposed N. sativa seeds have been found in several sites from ancient Egypt, including
Tutankhamun's tomb. Although its exact role in Egyptian culture is unknown, it is known
that items entombed with a pharaoh were carefully selected to assist him in the afterlife.
The earliest written reference to N. sativa is thought to be in the book of Isaiah in
the Old Testament, where the reaping of nigella and wheat is contrasted. Easton's Bible dictionary
states the Hebrew word ketsah refers to N. sativa without doubt. According to Zohary and Hopf,
N. sativa was another traditional condiment of the Old World during classical times; and
its black seeds were extensively used to flavour food.
Seeds were found in a Hittite flask in Turkey from second millennium BCE.
Traditional medicine In the Unani Tibb system of medicine, black
cumin is regarded as a valuable remedy for a number of diseases. In Islamic writing,
a hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah says "I heard Allah's Apostle saying, 'There is healing
in black seed for all diseases except death.'" Nestlé has reportedly filed a patent application
covering use of N. sativa as a food allergy treatment. Yet the firm denies the claim of
patenting the plant, stating that the patent would only cover "the specific way that thymoquinone
- a compound that can be extracted from the seed of the fennel flower - interacts with
opioid receptors in the body and helps to reduce allergic reactions to food".
Chemistry Nigella sativa oil contains an abundance of
conjugated linoleic acid, thymoquinone, nigellone, melanthin, nigilline, damascenine, and tannins.
Melanthin is toxic in large doses and nigelline is paralytic, so this spice must be used in
moderation. References
External links Nigella sativa
Nigella from The Encyclopedia of Spices Ali BH, Blunden G. "Pharmacological and toxicological
properties of Nigella sativa". Phytother Res 17: 299–305. doi:10.1002/ptr.1309. PMID 12722128.
Antimicrobial activity of Nigella sativa oil against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas
aeruginosa obtained from clinical specimens. Effects of Black Seeds on Spermatogenesis
and Fertility of Male Albino Rats Effects of oral administration of water extract
of Nigella sativa on serum concentrations of insulin and testosterone in alloxan-induced
diabetic rats Black Seed, Nigella Sativa, Deserves More
Attention How to make a dessert pie from black cumin
seeds