Journal of Pure and Applied MicrobiologyVol. 8 No. Special Edition Nov. 2014

Nigella sativa Essential Oil Constituents and its Antimicrobial, Cytotoxic and Necrotic Replies

Mohammed A.T. Abdel-Reheem1,2*, Mona M. Oraby3 and Salem K. Alanazi4

1Research Center, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 2Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Agric. Ain Shams Univ., Cairo, Egypt. 3Agric. Microbiology Department, Faculty of Agric., Ain Shams Univ., Cairo, Egypt. 4Microbiology Department,College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Received on 06 August 2014 and accepted on 20 October 2014

ABSTRACT

Nigella sativa essential oil (EO) chemical constituents and its biological properties were studied in this work. EO was identified using UPLC MS/MS analysis. Antimicrobial activity of the EO was investigated against fungi, bacteria (G+ve, G-ve), and yeasts quantifying the inhibition zones. Tolerate ability of EO treated Hep G2 cells were assessed by MTT assay, flow cytometric analysis of cell cycle progression was conducted using 0.4, 0.8, 1.2 and 1.6 % (v/v) of Nigella sativa EOfor 3h. UPLC MS/MS analysis revealed that the EO major constituents were monoterpenes (hydrocarbons and phenolics) flowed by Phenylpropanoids and sesquiterpenes. p-Cymene followed by g-Terpinene, a-Phellandrene, and a-Thujene were the major hydrocarbons constituents. Antimicrobial inhibitory effect of Nigella sativa EO increased at 20, 40, and 60 µl/ml for all tested microorganisms which may correlated with its monoterpene hydrocarbons and phenolic contents. Exposure of Hep G2 cells to Nigella sativa EOfor 24 h caused a substantial cytotoxicity as a concentration dependent, while survival of cells were lessened. A significant increase in the proportions of apoptotic/necrotic Hep G2 cells in sub-G1 phase. No change in cell cycle progression was indicated. Results conveyed the ability of using Nigella sativa EO as antimicrobial agents.

Keywords : Nigella sativa, Essential oil, Biological activity.