CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF A TRADITIONAL HERBAL MEDICINE CONTAINING GARLIC AND BLACK CUMIN

Authors

  • Jiben Roy
  • Diaa M. Shakleya
  • Patrick S. Callery
  • John G. Thomas

Keywords:

Garlic, Black cumin, Diallyldisulfide, Thymoquinone, Antimicrobial activity

Abstract

A combination of crushed garlic (Allium sativum) and black cumin seeds (Nigelia sativum) has been used as a traditional remedy for urinary tract infections. In-vitro antimicrobial testing suggested that the mixture of two spices in the ratio of 1:1 has antimicrobial effects on both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli species. Analyses of the extract of garlic and black cumin by GC-MS as well as LC–MS & MSP2P confirmed that the main components of garlic were allicin, γ-glutamyl-S-allylcysteine and allicin transformed products such as diallyldisulfide and vinyldithiins. Components of black cumin were thymoquinone, p-cymene, p-tert-butylcatechol, and pinene. Isolated samples of allicin by preparative HPLC from garlic extract and reference samples of diallyldisulfide and thymoquinone were tested individually and in combination for their antimicrobial activities against S. aureus and E. coli. All of these compounds showed modest antimicrobial effects individually (except diallyldisulfide against E. coli) and in combination.

Author Biographies

Jiben Roy

Department of Chemistry, Division of Science & Math, Mississippi University for Women, Columbus, MS 39701

Diaa M. Shakleya

Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506.

Patrick S. Callery

Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506.

John G. Thomas

Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506

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Published

2006-01-12

How to Cite

Roy, J., Shakleya, D. M., Callery, P. S., & Thomas, J. G. (2006). CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF A TRADITIONAL HERBAL MEDICINE CONTAINING GARLIC AND BLACK CUMIN. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, 3(2), 1–7. Retrieved from https://athmsi.org/journals/index.php/ajtcam/article/view/70

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 2 (2006)

Section

Research Papers

License

Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution CC.

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