Black-cumin

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Black-cumin
• Roman-coriander
• black-caraway
• fennel-flower
• nigella
• nutmeg-flower
• Black Cumin
• Common fennel flower
• black caraway
• black onion seed

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Ranunculales, it is further categorized under the family Ranunculaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic placement is defined by the genus Nigella.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across several key regions of the European continent. In Middle Europe, its presence is noted within the territories of Germany as well as the Czechia-Slovakia region. Moving toward the Mediterranean, it can be found growing throughout Southwestern Europe, specifically in France. The species also extends into Southeastern Europe, where it is established in Bulgaria. Finally, its range continues further south into the coastal and inland areas of Greece.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Nigella sativa is characterized by its ability to colonize diverse environments, frequently establishing itself within anthropogenic landscapes such as cropfields and parks. It thrives in these modified habitats where soil conditions and human activity may provide favorable germination niches. Furthermore, the species exhibits a significant vertical distribution, with its ecological presence recorded at a mean elevation of 1800 m AMSL, indicating an adaptability to specific altitudinal gradients and the atmospheric conditions associated with such mid-to-high altitude ranges.

Elevational range mean:

1800 m AMSL

Habitat :

cropfields,parks

Life history

The life history of Nigella sativa is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning the plant completes its entire developmental process—from germination to seed production—within a single growing season. As a therophyte, it survives the unfavorable periods of its environment by completing its life cycle rapidly and persisting through seed dormancy rather than maintaining vegetative structures. This life form strategy allows it to efficiently utilize seasonal moisture and nutrients to reach maturity before the onset of harsh conditions, ensuring the continuity of the species through the dispersal of its seeds.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Nigella sativa is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, specifically classified as a forb. The plant is a self-supporting organism that does not function as a climber or a liana, maintaining an independent existence as it is neither a parasite nor an epiphyte, growing instead in a terrestrial habitat. In terms of stature, it is a relatively low-growing species with a plant height that typically ranges from a minimum of 0.2 m to a maximum of 0.5 m, resulting in an average height of approximately 0.2825 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.5 m

Plant height mean:

0.2825 m

Plant height min:

0.2 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Nigella sativa is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, meaning it utilizes the Calvin cycle to fix carbon dioxide through the enzyme Rubisco, which is typical for many herbaceous annuals in the Ranunculaceae family. This metabolic process involves the direct fixation of CO2 into three-carbon compounds, making the plant's carbon assimilation efficiency highly dependent on environmental conditions such as temperature and water availability. Furthermore, Nigella sativa is not a nitrogen fixer; it lacks the specialized symbiotic relationship with rhizobia or other nitrogen-fixing bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form, and therefore relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the soil to satisfy its nutritional requirements for growth and development.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproductive cycle of Nigella sativa is characterized by a distinct seasonal flowering period that typically begins in June and concludes in August. The plant utilizes biotic pollination syndromes, specifically relying on insects such as bees to facilitate the fertilization process. Once fertilization occurs, the plant develops fruit in the form of a capsule, with a consistent length measuring approximately 1 cm (ranging from a minimum to a maximum of 1 cm). These capsules are dehiscent, meaning they split open to release the seeds. The resulting seeds are quite small, possessing a mean mass of 0.00141 g, with individual seed weights ranging from a minimum of 0.00051 g to a maximum of 0.00231 g. Regarding seed dispersal, the plant employs an unspecialized syndrome alongside anthropochorous dispersal, indicating that while it lacks a highly specialized natural mechanism, human activity plays a significant role in its distribution.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

unspecialized

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Aug

Fruit length max:

1 cm

Fruit type :

capsule

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass max:

0.00231 g

Seed mass mean:

0.00141 g

Seed mass min:

0.00051 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Nigella sativa has 2 reported plant parts identified across 72 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include seed, leaf.

Seed

1. PloS one
2. Saudi journal of biological sciences
3. Fundamental & clinical pharmacology
4. Iranian journal of basic medical sciences
5. Journal of endocrinological investigation

Leaf

1. Life (Basel, Switzerland)

Chemicals

Nigella sativa has 192 reported phytochemicals identified across 72 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Thymoquinone, Flavonoids, THYMOL, linoleic acid, oil.

Thymoquinone

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmaceutical biology
3. General pharmacology
4. Letters in applied microbiology
5. Cellular and molecular neurobiology

Flavonoids

1. Journal of the science of food and agriculture
2. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
3. TheScientificWorldJournal
4. Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology
5. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

THYMOL

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytochemical analysis : PCA
3. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics
5. Medicinal chemistry (Shariqah (United Arab Emirates))

linoleic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Zeitschrift fur Naturforschung. C, Journal of biosciences
3. Advanced pharmaceutical bulletin
4. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

oil

1. Trials
2. Iranian journal of basic medical sciences
3. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology
5. Acta biologica Hungarica

CARVACROL

1. Phytochemical analysis : PCA
2. Journal of chromatographic science
3. The American journal of Chinese medicine
4. Journal of pharmacopuncture
5. Journal of tropical medicine

Saponins

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
2. TheScientificWorldJournal
3. Food science & nutrition
4. International journal of dermatology
5. Frontiers in pharmacology

Thymohydroquinone

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics
3. The American journal of Chinese medicine
4. Journal of pharmacopuncture
5. Die Pharmazie

Fatty acids

1. Vascular health and risk management
2. TheScientificWorldJournal
3. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
4. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
5. Izvestiia Akademii nauk. Seriia biologicheskaia

Nigellidine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chemistry & biodiversity
3. The American journal of Chinese medicine
4. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
5. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Activities

Nigella sativa has 403 reported activities identified across 72 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Anticancer, Antimicrobial, Antidiabetic, Antibacterial.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Integrative medicine research
3. Current pharmaceutical biotechnology
4. The journal of maternal-fetal & neonatal medicine : the official journal of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine, the Federation of Asia and Oceania Perinatal Societies, the International Society of Perinatal Obstetricians
5. Journal of ovarian research

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecular cancer research : MCR
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
5. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine

Antimicrobial

1. Integrative medicine research
2. BMC complementary and alternative medicine
3. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
4. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine
5. Journal of food science

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
4. Food science & nutrition
5. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
3. Food science & nutrition
4. Inflammopharmacology
5. BioMed research international

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Integrative medicine research
3. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
4. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine
5. Inflammopharmacology

Neuroprotective

1. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine
2. International journal of molecular sciences
3. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology
4. Pharmacological research
5. CNS & neurological disorders drug targets

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. The journal of maternal-fetal & neonatal medicine : the official journal of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine, the Federation of Asia and Oceania Perinatal Societies, the International Society of Perinatal Obstetricians
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Pharmacological research
5. Journal of pharmacopuncture

Bronchodilator

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine
2. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology
3. International journal of dermatology
4. Iranian journal of basic medical sciences
5. JPMA. The Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association

Antiviral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmaceutical biology
3. Frontiers in pharmacology
4. Food science & nutrition
5. Saudi journal of biological sciences

Medicinal Uses

Nigella sativa has 295 reported medicinal uses identified across 72 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cancer, oxidative stress, inflammation, COVID-19, hypertension.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations