Isolation and Characterization of Active Ingredients from Nigella Sativa for Antibacterial Screening.

<p>In the past two decades, few reports have confirmed the various antibacterial activities of total extract from the seeds of <em>Nigella sativa</em> (Black cumin). In attempts to identify the active ingredients in this extract, the seeds were extracted with hexane. The volatile oil obtained from the crude extract was shown to contain at least three distinct compounds, <em>thymoquinone</em>, <em>p-cymene</em>, and <em>&#945;-pinene</em>, as confirmed by GC/MS and NMR spectroscopy. While <em>p-cymene</em> and &#945;-pinene showed no antibacterial activities, <em>thymoquinone</em>, exhibited remarkable inhibition of the growth of various strains of bacteria. For instance, the IC₅₀ and the Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) for <em>thymoquinone</em> were found to be 1.31 &#956;g/mL and 3.6 &#956;g/mL respectively, when tested against the gram-positive bacteria, <em>S. aureus</em>. It is also found that <em>thymoquinone</em> significantly inhibites the protein and RNA synthesis in <em>S. aureus</em>.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

MS (Master of Science)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis - restricted

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Chemistry

Year dc:date.issued

2002

Author dc:creator

• Kahsai, Alem Welderufael

• Nigella sativa
• Black seed
• Thymoquinone
• antibacterial
• Chemistry
• Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright by the authors.

Repository record dc:identifier

https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/692

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dc.etsu.edu:etd-1849