Biol. Pharm. Bull. 24(3) 307-310 (2001)

Hematological Studies on Black Cumin Oil from the Seeds of Nigella sativa L.

Shigeki ENOMOTO,^a Ryoya ASANO,^a Yoshihiro IWAHORI,^a Takao NARUI,^a Yoshihito OKADA,^a Abdel Nasser B. SINGAB,^b and Toru OKUYAMA^*,a

Department of Natural Medicine and Phytochemistry, Meiji Pharmaceutical University,^a 2-522-1 Noshio, Kiyose-shi,Tokyo 204-8588, Japan and Pharmacognosy Department, Ain Shams University,^b Abbasia, Cairo, Egypt.

The methanol soluble portion of black cumin oil, which is prepared by compression of seeds of Nigella sativa L., showed inhibitory effects on arachidonic acid (AA)-induced platelet aggregation and blood coagulation. By bioactive assay of AA-induced platelet aggregation, the methanol soluble part was purified to isolate a new compound 2-(2-methoxypropyl)-5-methyl-1,4-benzenediol (1) and two known compounds, thymol (2), carvacrol (3),having very strong inhibitory activity. Further, we then examined the isolated compounds (1-3) and eight related compounds by the screening test for AA-induced platelet aggregation. Compounds possessing aromatic hydroxyl and acetoxyl group had more potent activity than aspirin, which is well known as a remedy for thrombosis.

Key words black cumin oil; Nigella sativa; platelet aggregation; 2-(2-methoxypropyl)-5-methyl-1,4-benzenediol; thymol; carvacrol c