ABSTRACT

Herbal medicinal plants have been used for centuries across various cultures as natural remedies for treating diseases and maintaining overall health. These plants contain bioactive compounds such as alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, and essential oils, which contribute to their therapeutic properties. Nigella is a small genus of the family Ranunculaceae, which includes some popular species due to their culinary and medicinal properties, especially in Eastern Europe, Middle East, Western, and Central Asia. The aim of the present study is to investigate the anti-cancer activity of Nigella sativa stem ethanolic extract by in vitro and in vivo. The in vitro anti-cancer activity was performed by using MTT assay method. For in vivo study, the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee (IAEC) approved the experimental protocol and the conditions in the animal house approved by Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA). The animals were divided into four groups of 6 animals each. In in vivo screening performed by DMH induced colorectal changes. Results of in vivo pharmacological screening shows that oral administration of Nigella sativa stem extract brought a reduction in ACF to a small extent in comparison with normal control and only DMH treated group. There were no significant changes in the relative weight of individual organs among the groups and also in haematological parameters. Nonetheless, the main limitations are that more studies, especially, clinical trials are required to standardize the results, e.g. to establish active molecules, dosage, chemical profile, long-term effects and impact of cooking/incorporation into foods. Keywords: Traditional system, Nigella sativa, anti-cancer, MTT assay, apoptosis, colon cancer
Publication date: 01/04/2026

https://www.ijbpas.com/pdf/2026/April/MS_IJBPAS_2026_10043.pdf

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https://doi.org/10.31032/IJBPAS/2026/15.4.10043