Effect of Nigella sativa seeds on the glycemic control of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Effect of Nigella sativa (black seed) on subjective feeling in patients with allergic diseases. Effectiveness of Nigella sativa oil in the management of rheumatoid arthritis patients: a placebo controlled study. Prevention of type 2 diabetes - where is the evidence? Clinical evaluation of Nigella sativa seeds for the treatment of hyperlipidemia: a randomized, placebo controlled clinical trial. Dairy Products and Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes: Implications for Research and Practice Type 2 Diabetes: Demystifying the Global Epidemic Effect of Nigella sativa supplementation over a one-year period on lipid levels, blood pressure and heart rate in type-2 diabetic patients receiving oral hypoglycemic agents: nonrandomized clinical trial Protective role of Nigella sativa in diabetic nephropathy: A randomized clinical trial. Hypoglycemic effect of lipoic Acid, carnitine and nigella sativa in diabetic rat model. Comparing Nigella sativa Oil and Fish Oil in Treatment of Vitiligo Clinicobiochemical evaluation of turmeric with black pepper and nigella sativa in management of oral submucous fibrosis-a double-blind, randomized preliminary study. Mendelian randomization studies of biomarkers and type 2 diabetes A randomised controlled trial on hypolipidemic effects of Nigella Sativa seeds powder in menopausal women Diet, Inflammation, and Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes: An Integrative Review of the Literature Toxicity effect of nigella sativa on the liver function of rats. The effect of Nigella sativa Linn. seed on memory, attention and cognition in healthy human volunteers. Comparative Study of Nigella sativa and Triple Therapy in Eradication of Helicobacter pylori in Patients with Non-Ulcer Dyspepsia Adherence to a Healthy Nordic Food Index Is Associated with a Lower Risk of Type-2 Diabetes—The Danish Diet, Cancer and Health Cohort Study Dietary and physical activity strategies to prevent type 2 diabetes in South Asian adults: protocol for a systematic review Effects of Cinnamon, Cardamom, Saffron, and Ginger Consumption on Markers of Glycemic Control, Lipid Profile, Oxidative Stress, and Inflammation in Type 2 Diabetes Patients. Effect of Nigella sativa oil on various clinical and biochemical parameters of insulin resistance syndrome The Use of Herbal Medicine in Alzheimer's Disease—A Systematic Review
UNLABELLED Diabetes mellitus is a common chronic disease affecting millions of people world wide . St and ard treatment is failing to achieve required correction of blood glucose in many patients . Therefore , there is a need for investigating potential hypoglycemic drugs or herbs to improve glycemic control in diabetic patients .  Nigella sativa seeds were used as an adjuvant therapy in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 added to their anti-diabetic medications . A total of 94 patient were recruited and divided r and omly into three dose groups . Capsules containing Nigella sativa were administered orally in a dose of 1 , 2 and 3 gm/day for three months . The effect of Nigella sativa on the glycemic control was assessed through measurement of fasting blood glucose ( FBG ) , blood glucose level 2 hours postpr and ially ( 2 hPG ) , and glycosylated hemoglobin ( HbA1c ) . Serum C-peptide and changes in body weight were also measured . Insulin resistance and beta-cell function were calculated usin the homeostatic model assessment ( HOMA2 ) . Nigella sativa at a dose of 2 gm/day caused significant reductions in FBG , 2hPG , and HbA1 without significant change in body weight . Fasting blood glucose was reduced by an average of 45 , 62 and 56 mg/dl at 4 , 8 and 12 weeks respectively . HbAlC was reduced by 1.52 % at the end of the 12 weeks of treatment ( P<0.0001 ) . Insulin resistance calculated by HOMA2 was reduced significantly ( P<0.01 ) , while B-cell function was increased ( P<0.02 ) at 12 weeks of treatment . The use of Nigella sativa in a dose of 1 gm/day also showed trends in improvement in all the measured parameters but it was not statistically significant from the baseline . However , no further increment in the beneficial response was observed with the 3 gm/day dose . The three doses of Nigella sativa used in the study did not adversely affect either renal functions or hepatic functions of the diabetic patients throughout the study period . IN CONCLUSION the results of this study indicate that a dose of 2 gm/ day of Nigella sativa might be a beneficial adjuvant to oral hypoglycemic agents in type 2 diabetic patients Nigella sativa ( black seed ) is an important medicinal herb . In many Arabian , Asian and African countries , black seed oil is used as a natural remedy for a wide range of diseases , including various allergies . The plant 's mechanism of action is still largely unknown . Due to the lack of study data on its efficacy in allergies , four studies on the clinical efficacy of Nigella sativa in allergic diseases are presented . In these studies , a total of 152 patients with allergic diseases ( allergic rhinitis , bronchial asthma , atopic eczema ) were treated with Nigella sativa oil , given in capsules at a dose of 40 to 80 mg/kg/day . The patients scored the subjective severity of target symptoms using a predefined scale . The following laboratory parameters were investigated : IgE , eosinophil count , endogenous cortisol in plasma and urine , ACTH , triglycerides , total cholesterol , LDL and HDL cholesterol and lymphocyte sub population s. The score of subjective feeling decreased over the course of treatment with black seed oil in all four studies . A slight decrease in plasma triglycerides and a discrete increase in HDL cholesterol occurred while the lymphocyte sub population s , endogenous cortisol levels and ACTH release remained unchanged . Black seed oil therefore proved to be an effective adjuvant for the treatment of allergic diseases The constituents of Nigella sativa modulate the immune system . The aim of the present work was to study the effectiveness of Nigella sativa oil in RA patients . Data from 40 female RA patients diagnosed according to the 2010 ACR/EULAR were analysed and discussed . The patients took two placebo ( starch filled ) capsules daily for 1 month . This was followed by a month of Nigella sativa oil capsules 500 mg twice/day . The disease activity score ( DAS-28 ) significantly decreased after receiving the Nigella sativa capsules ( 4.55 ± 0.82 ) compared with before and after placebo ( 4.98 ± 0.79 and 4.99 ± 0.72 , respectively ) ( p = 0.017 ) . Similarly , the number of swollen joints and the duration of morning stiffness improved . A marked improvement in the disease activity was shown by both the ACR20 and EULAR response criteria in 42.5 % and 30 % of the patients , respectively , after intake of Nigella . Supplementation with Nigella sativa during DMARD therapy in RA may be considered an affordable potential adjuvant biological therapy Diabetes is an “ old disease ” . The first description of diabetes written on papyrus about 3500 years ago is found in the Ebers papyrus  , which was discovered in Egypt in 1873 by the German archeologist Georg Ebers . Humans , like most mammals , may develop diabetes , if sufficient environmental exposure to physical inactivity , unhealthy diet and obesity are present . Genetic effects are important for the individual risk of type 2 diabetes ( T2D ) but twin studies have shown that the genetic effects combined explain less than 50 % of the risk of T2D ( 1 ) . Today we know almost 100 susceptibility genes associated with T2D but the relative importance of each of these genes is low ( 2 ) , and together they explain only a small part of the disease risk . Thus , genetic screening can not be used for the prediction of T2D for individuals . On the other h and , healthy lifestyle can also prevent T2D in people who are genetically at high risk , e.g. those with positive family history ( 3 ) . Thus , the importance of lifestyle factors for the development and prevention of T2D is overwhelming . The strongest evidence in medicine is considered to come from r and omized controlled trials ( RCTs ) . They are also important in providing the link to causal inference that in most observational studies can not be derived . At the same time , observational studies are necessary for the identification of factors associated with an increased or decreased risk of a disease , and for generation of hypotheses on potential means for prevention based on modifiable risk factors . Observational studies have by now identified a large number of factors that are associated with the development of T2D or with the protection against it . Most of them are related to physical activity , diet and obesity . It has also been shown unequivocally that exposures ( poor nutrition , infections , smoking , etc . ) during fetal life and early infancy result ing in insufficient development ( often shown as low birth weight ) also predict T2D later in life ( 4 ) . Traditionally , T2D has been considered to be a disease of the elderly . However , with increasing obesity and sedentary lifestyle in children , there are increasing numbers of cases of T2D already occurring at a young age in many population s ( 5 ) . In the past two decades several innovative RCTs have repeatedly shown that interventions on modifiable risk factors can reduce the incidence of diabetes in high-risk groups . The evidence has been summarized in several systematic review s and meta-analyses ( 6,7 ) . There is compelling scientific evidence from RCTs that T2D can be prevented or its onset delayed . The key for prevention is a multimodal package of lifestyle changes that is a sum outcome of dietary and physical activity behaviours . The power of lifestyle was dramatically illustrated by the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study ( DPS ) that explicitly showed that when the study participants with impaired glucose tolerance reached all five modest lifestyle intervention targets , none of them progressed to T2D ( 8) . Importantly , lifestyle intervention lasting for 3–6 years has been shown to have a carry-over effect on T2D incidence that lasts for several years ; up to 15 in the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study ( 9 ) and 20 years in the China Da Qing Diabetes Prevention Study ( 10 ) . The observed sustained risk reduction seems to be a result of sustained lifestyle changes , but the legacy effect of improved glycaemia during the early intervention may also have contributed to the long-term effect . The follow-up data from the Chinese study indicate moreover that vascular risks are also reduced by lifestyle management . Several prognostic question naires exist for detecting people at risk of T2D ( 11 ) . One of the screening tools with an adequately high sensitivity and specificity is the Finnish Diabetes Risk Score ( FINDRISC ) developed in Finl and ( 12 ) . The FINDRISC has been successfully implemented in the Finnish primary health care system and used also in many other countries . The FINDRISC was also tested in the Omani population and as a result a slightly modified Omani Diabetes Risk Score was developed ( 13 ) which may be a suitable screening tool for the Arab population s in the Middle East . Lifestyle interventions aim ing at translating evidence from efficacy RCTs on T2D prevention into “ real world ” intervention programmes have also been carried out in various population s. Such data were recently combined in a meta- analysis considering the relationship between intervention effectiveness and adherence to guidelines ( 14 ) . The primary meta- analysis included 22 studies with outcome data for weight loss at 12 months . The pooled result of the direct pairwise meta- analysis shows that BACKGROUND Natural products are proved to play a good role as an alternative to synthetic chemicals in many clinical conditions . Hypercholesterolemia is the most important risk factor for atherosclerosis . Previous studies showed that Nigella sativa L. has both antioxidant and lipid lowering potentials . THE AIM OF THIS STUDY To evaluate the efficacy of the seeds of Nigella sativa on the treatment of hyperlipidemia . METHODS In this r and omized , placebo controlled clinical trial which was conducted in Isfahan city ( Iran ) , 88 subjects aged > or = 18 years with a total cholesterol concentration > 200 mg/dl were included . According to the patients " profiles number , they were r and omized to receive either N. sativa capsules or the matching placebo . Each N sativa capsule contained 500 + /- 10 mg N. sativa crushed seeds , and patients had to take 2 g N. sativa per day for 4 weeks . Fasting baseline laboratory values ( fasting blood sugar , total cholesterol , low density lipoprotein , high density lipoprotein and triglyceride ) were obtained for all parameters on each subject prior to the start of the study and at the end of 4 weeks . RESULTS In our study a significant decrease was observed in the concentration of total cholesterol ( 4.78 % ) , Low density lipoprotein ( 7.6 % ) and Triglyceride ( 16.65 % ) , and this decrease was more significant for TG concentration .  N. sativa had not any beneficial effects on Fasting blood sugar and High density lipoprotein . CONCLUSION According to the results of our present study it seems that N. sativa may have some beneficial therapeutic effects in the treatment of hyperlipidemia . However , further investigations with a larger sample size are necessary A growing body of scientific evidence has linked dairy intake to a reduced  type 2 diabetes ( T2D ) risk . Using an evidence -based approach , we review ed the most recent and strongest evidence on the relationship between dairy intake and the risk of T2D . Evidence indicates that dairy intake is significantly associated with a reduced T2D risk , and likely in a dose-response manner . The association between low-fat dairy and T2D risk reduction appears consistent . A beneficial impact is suggested for regular-fat dairy . The role of specific dairy products needs to be clarified . Potential underlying mechanisms include the role of dairy products in obesity and metabolic syndrome , as well as several dairy components , such as calcium , vitamin D , dairy fat , and specifically trans-palmitoleic acid . To conclude , there is strong , consistent , and accumulating evidence that dairy intake reduces the risk of T2D . More research is needed to better underst and the role of regular-fat and specific dairy products . Well- design ed r and omized controlled trials and mechanistic studies are needed to support these findings . Efforts to translate this evidence into clinical practice and public health guidance are needed Type 2 diabetes ( T2D ) has attained the status of a global p and emic , spreading from affluent industrialized nations to the emerging economies of Asia , Latin America , and Africa . There is significant global variation in susceptibility to T2D , with Pacific Isl and ers , Asian Indians , and Native Americans being considerably more prone to develop the disorder . Although genetic factors may play a part , the rapidity with which diabetes prevalence has risen among these population s reflects the far-ranging and rapid socioeconomic changes to which they have been exposed over the past few decades . Traditionally , obesity and its correlate , insulin resistance , have been considered the major mediators of T2D risk ; however , recent evidence shows that early loss of β-cell function plays an important role in the pathogenesis of T2D , especially in nonobese individuals such as South Asians . Knowledge of the modifiable risk factors of T2D is important , as it forms the basis for design ing cost-effective preventive and therapeutic strategies to slow the epidemic in population s at increased risk . Lessons learned from r and omized prevention trials need to be implemented with appropriate cultural adaptations , accompanied by empowerment of the community , if the diabetes epidemic is to be slowed or halted BACKGROUND Diabetic patients with hypertension and dyslipidemia are at a high risk of cardiovascular complications . OBJECTIVES To determine the effect of Nigella sativa supplementation on the lipid profile , mean arterial pressure , and heart rate in persons with type 2 diabetes on oral hypoglycemic agents ( OHA ) .  DESIGN Single-blind , nonr and omized . SETTING Diabetes clinic of a university hospital in Saudi Arabia . PATIENTS AND METHODS Type-2 diabetic patients were recruited by purposive sampling and assigned to treatment or control at the discretion of the investigator with the patient blinded to treatment . Before the intervention and every 3 months thereafter until the end of the treatment period , the following parameters were measured : triglycerides ( TG ) , total cholesterol ( TC ) , low density lipoprotein cholesterol ( LDL-C ) , high density lipoprotein cholesterol ( HDL-C ) , systolic blood pressure ( SBP ) , diastolic blood pressure ( DBP ) , mean arterial pressure ( MAP ) , heart rate ( HR ) , and body mass index ( BMI ) . Results at the baseline and each subsequent visit were compared between the two groups . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S ) Lipid and cardiovascular parameters , and BMI . RESULTS Fifty-seven patients were assigned to receive N sativa 2 g daily for one year and 57 were assigned to receive an identical regimen of placebo , along with OHA . A significant decrease in HDL-C and increase in the TC/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratios were seen in the control group . The N sativa group had a significant decline in TC , LDL-C , TC/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratios , compared with the respective baseline data and the control group . HDL-C was significantly elevated in the N sativa group . The control group showed a significant elevation in MAP . The N sativa group had a significant reduction in SBP , DBP , MAP and HR and a significant decrease in DBP , MAP and HR as compared with the control group . CONCLUSION N sativa supplementation improves total cholesterol , mean arterial pressure and heart rate in type 2 diabetes patients on oral hypoglycemic agents .  LIMITATIONS There were 9 subjects in each group lost to follow up ; thus the sample size could not be maintained as per the sample size calculation . The study was nonr and omized and thus there was a possibility of allocation bias . ( Clinical trial registration number : CTRI/2013/06/003781 , Clinical Trial Registry of India ) This study aims to evaluate efficacy and safety of Nigella sativa oil supplementation in patients with chronic kidney disease Stage 3 and 4 due to diabetic nephropathy . It was a prospect i ve , comparative , and open-label study . Patients were r and omized into two groups . Group 1 ( Control ) received conservative management of diabetic nephropathy , whereas Group 2 ( Test ) received N. sativa oil ( 2.5 mL , once daily and per orally ) along with conservative management for 12 weeks .  Blood glucose , hemogram , and kidney function test were done at 0 , 6 , and 12 weeks of treatment . Significance of differences between pre- and post-treatment values in each group was assessed using Student 's paired t-test and between the groups using unpaired t-test . We found a drop in blood glucose , serum creatinine , blood urea , and 24 h total urinary protein levels and a rise in glomerular filtration rate , 24 h total urinary volume , and hemoglobin level in the treatment group compared to the control group OBJECTIVES Evaluation of therapeutic potentials of α-lipoic acid ( α-LA ) , L-carnitine , Nigella sativa ( N. sativa ) or combination of them in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism of DM type I. METHODS Rat model of diabetes was induced by single i.p injection of Streptozocin ( STZ ) 65 mg/kg . The rats were r and omly assigned to 6 groups ( G ) : healthy reference ( HR ) , diabetic ( DM ) , DM treated with α-lipoic acid , DM treated with L-carnitine , DM treated with N. sativa , and DM treated with combination of the 3 compounds . After 30 days from onset of diabetes , serum and tissue homogenate were obtained for evaluation of glucose metabolism as fasting blood glucose , insulin , insulin sensitivity , HOMA , C-peptide , and pyruvate dehydrogenase ( PDH ) activity . For lipid metabolism evaluation , total cholesterol and triacylglycerol ( TG ) were determined . Markers of antioxidants and oxidative status as total antioxidant capacity ( TAC ) , glutathione-S-transeferase ( GST ) , 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine ( 8-OH-dG ) were measured . RESULTS Either α-LA or N. sativa significantly reduced the elevated blood glucose level . The combination of 3 compounds significantly increased the level of insulin and C-peptide . Also , increased the antioxidant activity measured by TAC and decreased the oxidative damage of DNA as measured by 8-OH-dG. HOMA- β increased in G3 and G6 compared to G2 . However , the decrease in TG , and total cholesterol levels were non-significant in all groups . CONCLUSION Combination of α-LA , L-carnitine and N. sativa will contribute significantly in improvement of the carbohydrate metabolism and to less extent lipid metabolism in diabetic rats , thus increasing the rate of success in management of DM . Also , this combination will have implication s in clinical studies and clinical applications Background : Vitiligo is one of the autoimmune skin diseases that destroy the melanocytes of the skin . Moreover , its prevalence varies in different countries and regions . Objectives : The aim of this study was to compare the effect of Nigella sativa and fish oil on vitiligo lesions of the patients referred to a dermatology clinic . Material s and Methods : This r and omized , double blind clinical trial was conducted in the dermatology clinic of the Imam Khomeini Hospital Ahvaz , Iran , from June to December 2011 . We used a r and omized simple sampling . From 96 patients with vitiligo , 52 eligible patients were selected and allocated to two groups with equal size . The study medications were applied twice a day by patients on their lesions . After six months , the improvement rate of lesions was assessed by the Vitiligo Area Scoring Index ( VASI ) . Data were analyzed using SPSS v. 15 ; P value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant . Results : After six months , a mean score of VASI decreased from 4.98 to 3.75 in patients applying topical Nigella sativa and from 4.98 to 4.62 in those using topical fish oil . Most of the percent improvement observed in upper extremities , trunk , head , and neck of those who received Nigella sativa and head , neck , trunk , and feet of those who received fish oil .  No adverse effect was reported by the patients . Conclusions : Nigella sativa oil and fish oil were effective in reduction the size of patient ’s lesions ; however , Nigella sativa was more effective in comparison to the fish oil . Therefore , using Nigella sativa with the major drugs in the treatment of vitiligo is recommended OBJECTIVE To investigate the effectiveness of turmeric with black pepper and nigella sativa in oral submucous fibrosis ( OSMF ) . STUDY DESIGN Forty OSMF patients were r and omly divided into two groups . The study was performed under a double-blind , r and omized design . Group A received turmeric with black pepper and group B received nigella sativa for 3 months .  Clinical evaluation was done every 15 days . Patients ' serum superoxide dismutase ( SOD ) levels were assessed before and after treatment and also compared with healthy controls . The response to treatment was analyzed using analysis of variance , paired t test , and unpaired t test . RESULTS After the treatment , groups A and B showed 3.85 ± 0.22 mm and 3.6 ± 0.07 mm improvement in mouth opening , respectively ( P < .01 ) ; 87.90 % and 78.91 % reduction in burning sensation , respectively ( P < .01 ) ; and + 0.62 U/mL and + 0.74 U/mL improvement in serum SOD levels , respectively ( P < .05 ) . The maximum mouth opening achieved was 8 mm in group A and 7 mm in group B. The mean pretreatment SOD level for controls and patients was 3.61 ± 0.24 U/mL in group A and 2.63 ± 0.18 U/mL in group B. CONCLUSION Turmeric with black pepper and nigella sativa  improved mouth opening , burning sensation , and SOD levels in the present OSMF study patients ; however , further investigations are needed Many biomarkers are associated with type 2 diabetes ( T2D ) risk in epidemiological observations . The aim of this study was to identify and summarize current evidence for causal effects of biomarkers on T2D . A systematic literature search in PubMed and EMBASE ( until April 2015 ) was done to identify Mendelian r and omization studies that examined potential causal effects of biomarkers on T2D . To replicate the findings of identified studies , data from two large-scale , genome-wide association studies ( GWAS ) were used : DIAbetes  Genetics Replication And Meta- analysis  ( DIAGRAMv3 ) for T2D and the Meta-Analyses of Glucose and Insulin-related traits Consortium ( MAGIC ) for glycaemic traits . GWAS summary statistics were extracted for the same genetic variants ( or proxy variants ) , which were used in the original Mendelian r and omization studies . Of the 21 biomarkers ( from 28 studies ) , ten have been reported to be causally associated with T2D in Mendelian r and omization . Most biomarkers were investigated in a single cohort study or population . Of the ten biomarkers that were identified , nominally significant associations with T2D or glycaemic traits were reached for those genetic variants related to bilirubin , pro-B-type natriuretic peptide , delta-6 desaturase and dimethylglycine based on the summary data from DIAGRAMv3 or MAGIC . Several Mendelian r and omization studies investigated the nature of associations of biomarkers with T2D . However , there were only a few biomarkers that may have causal effects on T2D . Further research is needed to broadly evaluate the causal effects of multiple biomarkers on T2D and glycaemic traits using data from large-scale cohorts or GWAS including many different genetic variants Background The risk of cardiovascular diseases ( CVD ) is increased tremendously among menopausal women , and there is an increasing dem and for alternative therapies for managing factors like dyslipidemia that contribute to CVD development . Methods In this study , Nigella sativa was evaluated for its hypolipidemic effects among menopausal women . In a r and omised trial , hyperlipidemic menopausal women were assigned to  treatment ( n = 19 ) or placebo groups ( n = 18 ) , and given N. sativa or placebo for two months after their informed consents were sought . At baseline , blood sample s were taken and at one month intervals thereafter until one month after the end of the study . Results The results showed that N. sativa significantly improved lipid profiles of menopausal women  ( decreased total cholesterol , low density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride , and increased high density lipoprotein cholesterol ) more than the placebo treatment over 2 months of intervention . One month after cessation of treatment , the lipid profiles in the N. sativa-treated group tended to change towards the pretreatment levels . Conclusions N. sativa is thought to have multiple mechanisms of action and is cost-effective . Therefore , it could be used by menopausal women to remedy hypercholesterolemia , with likely more benefits than with single pharmacological agents that may cause side effects . The use of N. sativa as an alternative therapy for hypercholesterolemia could have profound impact on the management of CVD among menopausal women especially in countries where it is readily available Type 2 diabetes ( T2D ) is a growing national health problem affecting 35 % of adults ≥20 years of age in the United States . Recently , diabetes has been categorized as an inflammatory disease , sharing many of the adverse outcomes as those reported from cardiovascular disease . Medical nutrition therapy is recommended for the treatment of diabetes ; however , these recommendations have not been up date d to target the inflammatory component , which can be affected by diet and lifestyle . To assess the current state of evidence for which dietary programs contain the most anti-inflammatory and glycemic control properties for patients with T2D , we conducted an integrative review of the literature . A comprehensive search of the PubMed , CINAHL , Scopus , and Web of Science data bases from January 2000 to May 2012 yielded 786 articles . The final 16 studies met the selection criteria including r and omized control trials , quasiexperimental , or cross-sectional studies that compared varying diets and measured inflammatory markers . The Mediterranean and DASH diets along with several low-fat diets were associated with lower inflammatory markers . The Mediterranean diet demonstrated the most clinical ly significant reduction in glycosylated hemoglobin ( HbA1c ) . Information on best dietary guidelines for inflammation and glycemic control in individuals with T2D is lacking . Continued research is warranted PURPOSE The aim of this study was to determine the toxic effect of Nigella sativa powder on the liver function which was evaluated by measuring liver enzymes and through histopathological examination of liver tissue . METHODS Twenty four male Sprague Dawley rats were allotted r and omly to four groups including : control ( taking normal diet ) ; low dose ( supplemented with 0.01 g/kg/day Nigella sativa ) ; normal dose ( supplemented with 0.1 g/kg/day Nigella sativa ) and high dose ( supplemented with 1 g/kg/day Nigella sativa ) . All of supplements administered in powder form mixed with rats ' pellet for 28 days . To assess liver toxicity , liver enzymes measurement and histological study were done at the end of supplementation . RESULTS The finding revealed that there was no significant change in serum alanine aminotransferase ( ALT ) and aspartate aminotransferase ( AST ) between treatment groups . Histopathological study showed very minimal and mild changes in fatty degeneration in normal and high doses of Nigella sativa treated group . Inflammation and necrosis were absent . CONCLUSION The study showed that supplementation of Nigella sativa up to the dose of 1 g/kg supplemented for a period of 28 days result ed no changes in liver enzymes level and did not cause any toxicity effect on the liver function BACKGROUND Experimental evidence s have demonstrated that Nigella sativa Linn . seed ( NS ) has positive modulation effects on aged rats with memory impairments , prevents against hippocampal pyramidal cell loss and enhances consolidation of recall capability of stored information and spatial memory in rats .  NS has neuroprotective , nephroprotective , lung protective , cardioprotective , hepatoprotective activities as established by previous studies on animals . Several clinical trials with NS on human have also demonstrated beneficial effect . AIM OF THE STUDY The present study was design ed to investigate the effects of NS on memory , attention and cognition in healthy elderly volunteers . Furthermore , safety profile of NS was assessed during the nine-week study period . METHODS Forty elderly volunteers were recruited and divided r and omly into group A and group B -- each consisting of 20 volunteers . The treatment procedure for group A was 500 mg NS capsule twice daily for nine weeks and Group B received placebo instead of NS in the similar manner . All the volunteers were assessed for neuropsychological state and safety profile twice before treatment and after nine weeks . The neuropsychological tests were logical memory test , digit span test , Rey-Osterrieth complex figure test , letter cancellation test , trail making test and stroop test . Safety profile was assessed by measuring biochemical markers of Cardiac ( total cholesterol , triglycerides and high density lipoprotein cholesterol , very low density lipoprotein , low density lipoprotein cholesterol , creatine kinase-MB ) ; Liver ( aspartate aminotransferase , alanin aminotransferase , alkaline phosphatase , total protein , albumin , bilirubin ) and Kidney ( creatinine and blood urea nitrogen ) through using commercial kits . RESULTS There was significant difference ( p<0.05 ) in the score of logical memory test-I and II , total score of digit span , 30 min delayed-recall , percent score in Rey-Osterrieth complex figure test , time taken to complete letter cancellation test , time taken in trail making test-A and test-B , score in part C of stroop test due to ingestion of NS for nine weeks . There were not statistically significant changes ( p>0.05 ) in any of the biochemical markers of cardiac , liver , kidney function during this nine-week study period . CONCLUSIONS The current study demonstrates the role of NS in enhancing memory , attention and cognition . Therefore , whether NS could be considered as potential food supplement for preventing or slow progressing of Alzheimer disease needs further investigations . However , study with Alzheimer 's patients with large population size for longer period of time is recommended before using NS daily and extensive phytochemical investigations are recommended for novel drug discovery from NS for treating cognitive disorders Background / Aim : A large number of diseases are ascribed to Helicobacter pylori ( H. pylori ) , particularly chronic active gastritis , peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer . Successful treatment of H. pylori infection with antimicrobial agents can lead to regression of H. pylori – associated disorders . Antibiotic resistance against H. pylori is increasing , and it is necessary to find new effective agents . Nigella sativa seed ( NS ) , a commonly used herb , possesses in vitro anti-helicobacter activity . The present study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of NS in eradication of H. pylori infection in non-ulcer dyspeptic patients . Material s and Methods : The study was conducted on 88 adult patients attending King Fahd Hospital of the University , Al-Khobar , Saudi Arabia , from 2007 to 2008 , with dyspeptic symptoms and found positive for H. pylori infection by histopathology and urease test . Patients were r and omly assigned to four groups , receiving i ) triple therapy ( TT ) comprising of clarithromycin , amoxicillin , omeprazole [ n= 23 ] , ii ) 1 g NS + 40 mg omeprazole ( OM ) [ n= 21 ] , iii ) 2 g NS + OM [ n= 21 ] or iv ) 3 g NS + OM [ n= 23 ] . Negative H. pylori stool antigen test four weeks after end of treatment was considered as eradication . Results : H. pylori eradication was 82.6 , 47.6 , 66.7 and 47.8 % with TT , 1 g NS , 2 g NS and 3 g NS , respectively . Eradication rates with 2 g NS and TT were statistically not different from each other , whereas H. pylori eradication with other doses was significantly less than that with TT ( P < 0.05 ) . Dyspepsia symptoms improved in all groups to a similar extent . Conclusions : N. sativa seeds possess clinical ly useful anti-H. pylori activity , comparable to triple therapy . Further clinical studies combining N. sativa with antibiotics are suggested Background : Type-2 diabetes ( T2D ) prevalence is rapidly increasing worldwide . Lifestyle factors , in particular obesity , diet , and physical activity play a significant role in the etiology of the disease . Of dietary patterns , particularly the Mediterranean diet has been studied , and generally a protective association has been identified . However , other regional diets are less explored . Objective : The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between adherence to a healthy Nordic food index and the risk of T2D . The index consists of six food items : fish , cabbage , rye bread , oatmeal , apples and pears , and root vegetables . Methods : Data was obtained from a prospect i ve cohort study of 57,053 Danish men and women aged 50–64 years , at baseline , of whom 7366 developed T2D ( median follow-up : 15.3 years ) . The Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess the association between the healthy Nordic food index and risk of T2D , adjusted for potential confounders . Results : Greater adherence to the  healthy Nordic food index was significantly associated with lower risk of T2D after adjusting for potential confounders . An index score of 5−6 points ( high adherence ) was associated with a statistically significantly 25 % lower T2D risk in women ( HR : 0.75 , 95%CI : 0.61–0.92 ) and 38 % in men ( HR : 0.62 ; 95%CI : 0.53–0.71 ) compared to those with an index score of 0 points ( poor adherence ) . Conclusion : Adherence to a healthy Nordic food index was found to be inversely associated with risk of T2D , suggesting that regional diets other than the Mediterranean may also be recommended for prevention of T2D Introduction Type 2 diabetes ( T2D ) is a major health concern among population s of South Asian ethnicity . Although dietary and physical activity interventions may reduce the risk of T2D , the effectiveness has been moderate among South Asians . This might ( in part ) be because this subgroup follows strategies that were originally developed for interventions among other population s. Therefore , this review aims to assess the evidence for the current dietary and physical activity strategies recommended in T2D prevention intervention studies and guidelines for South Asians . Methods and analysis Included will be all studies and guidelines on dietary and /or physical activity strategies to prevent T2D in adult South Asians . Two review ers will search online data bases from their start until the present date for published and unpublished experimental/quasiexperimental studies , with at least an abstract in English . References of identified articles and key review s will be screened for additional studies . Guidelines will be identified by search es in online data bases and websites of public organisations . Finally , expert consultations will be held to supplement any missing information . Trial quality will be assessed with the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies Data , and guidelines with the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation II . Data on the strategies recommended , targeting and evidence on effectiveness will be extracted by two review ers and presented in tabular and narrative forms . Recommendations will be compared with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines [ PH35 ] . Overall findings on  dietary and physical activity recommendations , as well as findings for specific subgroups ( eg , by sex ) , will be discussed . Ethics and dissemination Ethics assessment is not required . Start date : 1 January 2016 , finishing and reporting date 31 July 2016 . Results will be published in a peer- review ed scientific journal , the project report of EuroDHYAN ( www.eurodhyan.eu ) and in a PhD dissertation . Trial registration number The protocol is registered with the International Prospect i ve Register of Systematic Review s ( PROSPERO ) registration number CRD42015027067 OBJECTIVES Type 2 diabetes ( T2D ) may be caused by elevated oxidative stress , inflammation , and hyperglycemia . The phytochemicals in several herbal medicines are reported to effectively improve diabetes and to ameliorate diabetic complications . The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of cinnamon , cardamom , saffron , and ginger as supplementary remedies in T2D . METHODS This r and omized controlled , clinical trial included 204 T2D patients . The participants were r and omly assigned to four intervention groups receiving 3 glasses of black tea and either 3 g cardamom , or cinnamon , or ginger , or 1 g saffron and one control group which consumed only 3 tea glasses without any herbal medicine for 8 weeks . Markers of inflammation , oxidative stress , fasting blood sugar , lipid profile , and anthropometric measures were evaluated at baseline and after 8 weeks of intervention . RESULTS After 8 weeks of intervention , cinnamon , cardamom , ginger , and saffron consumption had significant effects on total cholesterol , LDL , and HDL levels ( p < 0.05 ) compared with controls . However , the herbal products did not have significant effects on measures of glycemic control , anthropometry , inflammation , and oxidative stress . In within-group comparisons only , cinnamon intake significantly decreased fasting blood sugar ( FBS ) . CONCLUSIONS The herbal remedies examined had significantly beneficial effects on cholesterol , but not on measures of glycemic control , oxidative stress , and inflammation . Based on the contradictory results reported in the literature , the effects of herbal medicine in diabetic patients should undergo further detailed investigation AIM : The seeds of the Nigella sativa plant have been used to promote health and fight disease for centuries , especially in the Middle East and in Southeast Asia . This plant has been a focus of much research . This clinical study was undertaken to know the adjuvant effect of N. sativa oil on various clinical and biochemical parameters of the insulin resistance syndrome . MATERIAL S AND METHODS : This prospect i ve study was conducted at a tertiary health care center in North India . After confirmation of diagnosis , 60 patients who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria were enrolled in this study . Written informed consent was taken from all the patients enrolled . Approval from the institutional ethical committee was also obtained . The patients were divided into two groups of 30 each . In group I ( the st and ard group ) , patients were advised tablet atorvastatin 10 mg once a day and tablet metformin 500 mg twice a day for a period of 6 weeks . In group II ( the N. sativa group ) , the patients were advised tablet atorvastatin 10 mg once a day , tablet metformin 500 mg twice a day , and N. sativa oil 2.5 ml twice daily for a period of 6 weeks . Fasting and postpr and ial blood glucose , fasting lipid profile , and waist circumference were recorded before therapy and after completion of therapy . RESULT : The treatment group showed significant ( P < 0.05 ) improvement with reference to total cholesterol , low density lipoprotein cholesterol ( LDL-C ) , and fasting blood glucose ( P < 0.05 ) . CONCLUSION : N. sativa oil was found to be effective as an add-on therapy in patients of insulin resistance syndrome . N. sativa oil has a significant activity in diabetic and dyslipidemic patients The treatments of choice in Alzheimer 's disease ( AD ) are cholinesterase inhibitors and NMDA-receptor antagonists , although doubts remain about the therapeutic effectiveness of these drugs . Herbal medicine products have been used in the treatment of Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia ( BPSD ) but with various responses . The objective of this article was to review evidence s from controlled studies in order to determine whether herbs can be useful in the treatment of cognitive disorders in the elderly . R and omized controlled studies assessing AD in individuals older than 65 years were identified through search es of MEDLINE , LILACS , Cochrane Library , dissertation Abstract ( USA ) , ADEAR ( Alzheimer 's Disease Clinical Trials Data base ) , National Research Register , Current Controlled trials , Centerwatch Trials Data base and PsychINFO Journal Articles . The search combined the terms Alzheimer disease , dementia , cognition disorders , Herbal , Phytotherapy . The crossover results were evaluated by the Jadad 's measurement scale . The systematic review identified two herbs and herbal formulations with therapeutic effects for the treatment of AD : Melissa officinalis , Salvia officinalis and Yi-Gan San and BDW ( Ba Wei Di Huang Wan ) . Ginkgo biloba was identified in a meta- analysis study . All five herbs are useful for cognitive impairment of AD .  M. officinalis and Yi-Gan San are also useful in agitation , for they have sedative effects . These herbs and formulations have demonstrated good therapeutic effectiveness but these results need to be compared with those of traditional drugs . Further large multicenter studies should be conducted in order to test the cost-effectiveness of these herbs for AD and the impact in the control of cognitive deterioration
Although , the meta- analysis conducted included a few number of studies , but has shown promising results on the effectiveness of N. sativa on glucose homeostasis and serum lipids .
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE ( S ) Global prevalence of type 2 diabetes ( T2D ) is very high and is currently growing alarmingly .
With respect to recent research ers ' attention to the potential role of herbal medicine in disease prevention and management , the present meta- analysis review investigates the effectiveness of Nigella sativa ( N. sativa ) , a popular herb , in T2D .