The use of spices as food additives, flavouring agents, and
also digestive stimulant tonic has been practiced widely since
ancient times.These attributes, largely empirical, nevertheless
efficacious, have earned them pharmacological applications
in the indigenous systems of medicine. Among various
medicinal spices Nigella sativa L. (family Ranunculaceae)
has emerged as a miraculous herb with a wide spectrum of
pharmacological activities. N. sativa seeds are most extensively
studied, both phytochemically and pharmacologically.
Both seeds and oils are known to possess various health
properties like antitumour activity [1], antioxidant activity
[2], anti-inflammatory activity [3], antibacterial activity [4],
and a stimulatory effect on the immune system [5] because
of which they are often used as nutritional supplement. Also
it is reported that different crude extracts of N. sativa have