Phytochemical Analysis and Biological Activities of Nigella sativa Collected from South Waziristan, Pakistan

Abstract

The present study investigated the phytochemical composition and biological activities of Nigella sativa seeds collected from South Waziristan, Pakistan. The seeds were analyzed for their phytochemical content. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of several bioactive compounds, with thymoquinone being the most prominent. Other compounds, such as carvacrol, p-cymene, and t-anethole, were also identified. The biological activities of the Nigella sativa extract were evaluated in terms of antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. The antimicrobial activity was tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, and Aspergillus niger, with the extract showing significant inhibitory effects. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranged from 8 to 20 mg/mL, depending on the pathogen. The antioxidant capacity was measured using the DPPH assays, with the extract exhibiting strong free radical scavenging activity, with IC50 values of 22.5 µg/mL and 18.3 µg/mL, respectively. The findings of this study demonstrated that Nigella sativa from South Waziristan possesses significant antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities, supporting its traditional use in folk medicine. The results suggest that Nigella sativa could be developed as a natural therapeutic agent for managing infections, oxidative stress-related diseases, and inflammatory conditions. Further clinical research is needed to validate these findings and explore the broader therapeutic potential of Nigella sativa.