Nigella
| Nigella | |
|---|---|
| File:Nigella damascena Dark Blue.jpg | |
| Nigella damascena | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Ranunculales |
| Family: | Ranunculaceae |
| Subfamily: | Ranunculoideae |
| Tribe: | Nigelleae |
| Genus: | Nigella L. |
| Species | |
| |
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Nigella is a genus of about 25 species of annual or biennial plants in the family Ranunculaceae, native to Macaronesia, southern and central Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia.[1][2] Common names applied to members of this genus are nigella, devil-in-a-bush or love-in-a-mist.
The species grow to 20 to 90 cm (8 to 35 in) tall, with finely divided leaves; the leaf segments are narrowly linear to threadlike. The flowers are white, yellow, pink, pale blue or pale purple, with five to ten petals. The fruit is a capsule composed of several united follicles, each containing numerous seeds; in some species (e.g. Nigella damascena), the capsule is large and inflated.
Uses
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Culinary
[edit | edit source]The seeds of Nigella sativa, known as kalonji, black cumin, black caraway, black coriander, roman coriander, black onion seed, onion seed, charnushka, git (in historical Roman cuisine),[3] or just nigella, are used as a spice and a condiment in South Asian, Ethiopian, Middle Eastern and Polish cuisines.[4]
Garden flowers
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Several species are grown as ornamental plants in gardens. Nigella damascena has been grown in English cottage gardens since the Elizabethan era, commonly called love-in-a-mist. Nigella hispanica is a taller species with larger blue flowers, red stamens, and grey leaves. Nigella seeds are self-sowing if the seed pods are left to mature.
The dried seed capsules can also be used in flower arrangements.
Use in traditional medicine
[edit | edit source]In traditional medicine, the seeds are used as a carminative and stimulant to ease bowel and indigestion problems, and are given to treat intestinal worms, nerve defects, to reduce flatulence, and induce sweating. Dried pods are sniffed to restore a lost sense of smell. It is also used to repel some insects, much like mothballs.
Numerous studies have shown that it has anti-inflammatory,[5] anti-oxidative,[6] anti-mycotic, antibacterial,[7][8][9] anti-fungal, anti-cancer,[10][11][12][13][14] anti-viral, antihistamine properties, possessing many properties that make it a potential remedy against certain diseases.[15]
Black cumin is used by naturopaths. Black cumin oil and powder are sold to people suffering from pathologies such as skin diseases, muscle pain, eczema or psoriasis,[16] but also acne,[17] diabetes, and asthma,[18]
References
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External links
[edit | edit source]Error creating thumbnail: File missing Media related to Lua error in Module:Commons_link at line 62: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). at Wikimedia Commons
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