Authors: Ogen-Shtern Navit, Yarmenko Margarita, von Oppen-Bezalel Liki.
The oil produced from Nigella sativa seeds (black cumin) is a known folklore remedy for treatment of various health conditions, including the treatment of microbial infections. The microbes Malassezia furfur, Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus are commonly found in healthy skin and gut microbiota, but can also be infection-inducing microorganisms upon overgrowth, capable of disrupting the homeostasis of the microbiome. Treatment with antibiotics has led some of these microbes to evolve antibiotic-resistant strains. Several Nigella sativa oils produced by cold pressing of agricultural crops to contain high or low amounts of the active molecule, thymoquinone as well as high or low amounts of free fatty acids were tested for their antifungal and antibacterial properties. The growth of Malassezia furfur and an antibiotic-resistant strain of Candida albicans were most inhibited by a combination of high amounts of Thymoquinone (3%) and low amounts of free fatty acids (2%). While the growth of Staphylococcus aureus is strongly inhibited by Nigella sativa oil, it seems that another component, yet to be identified, is responsible for the antibacterial effect as all oil compositions tested presented similar and strong inhibition of the bacterial growth. According to the results, Nigella sativa oil may be used as an alternative safe antimicrobial agent, and perhaps even as a preventative care for maintenance of microbiome balance and diversity.
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