Abstract

EVALUATION OF ANTI-DIARRHOEAL AND APPETIZER EFFECTS OF NIGELLA SATIVA SEEDS

Nousseiba Abed*, Asma Bennini, Hadjer Merdaci, Abdelkader Rouabah, Leila Rouabah

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the anti-diarrheal and the appetizer activities of Nigella sativa seeds. To evaluate the anti-diarrheal effect using castor oil induced diarrhoea in albino wistar rats, crude extract of seeds was given to rats, at graded dose of 100, 250 & 500mg/kg by oral gavage, by using four experimentally induced diarrhoea treated groups each consist of five rats and one control group. Loperamide (3mg/kg p.o) were used as standard drugs. The crude extract at 500mg/kg showed a remarkable antidiarrhoeal activity manifested by significant decrease in number of wet stools and total number of stools, output in 4 hours. The results of this study indicate the presence of some active principles in the crude extract of Nigella sativa seeds possessing anti-diarrhoeal effect. To investigate appetizer effect of oral administration of Nigella sativa seeds, 36 adult healthy volunteers of either sex, of age 28, 44 ± 10, 53 years and mean BMI 24, 242 ± 3,107 kg/m2, were divided into four groups. The subjects were administered orally respectively at 1 tablet based on Fenugreek (600 mg), 1g, 2g and 3g of Nigella sativa seeds powder. After 20 min of treatments, we observed after 6 hour, the subjective appetite of study participants using a visual analog scale. The results show that oral administration of powder of Nigella sativa seeds significantly increased subjective appetite. These results may explain the rational uses of this seeds as antidiarrhoeal and appetizer agent in the traditional medicine.

Keywords: Nigella sativa, antidiarrhoeal, crude extract, castor oil, appetizer, appetite.