Premium
Rat plasma copper and zinc concentrations were not negatively affected by high phytate content of “Black Seed”
Author(s) -
Harland Barbara
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.4.a196-a
Subject(s) - zinc , nigella sativa , zoology , chemistry , weanling , medicine , biology , traditional medicine , organic chemistry
Rat plasma copper and zinc concentrations were not negatively affected by the phytate content of “Black Seed”. Black Seed (Nigella sativa, Kalonji or Black Cumin), indigenous to the Mediterranean, Saudia Arabia, Asia and Africa, has a history of healing dating back 2000 years as a natural remedy for anemia, headaches, colds, diarrhea, asthma and allergy‐related diseases. A seed would normally be high in phytate, and might compromise mineral status in humans. A study was designed using weanling, male Sprague‐Dawley rats in two groups of 10. The Control group was fed the AIN 93G diet to which Alphacel (a fiber source) was added, at the 10% level. Ground Black Seed was similarly added to form the experimental group, resulting in a phytate/zinc molar ratio of 10.95. After 3 weeks, the Black Seed group was significantly (p<0.05) heavier (Mean+/− SEM, 143.4 +/− 3.5 g vs. 100.9 +/− 17.2 g). Organ weights: heart, kidney and liver were calculated as % of final body weight. Liver weights in the Black Seed group were significantly heavier (3.24+/− 0.05% vs. 2.26 +/− 0.12% ). Plasma copper concentrations were significantly greater in the Black Seed group (0.73 +/− 0.03 ug/mL vs. 0.47 +/− 0.08 ug/mL) as were zinc (1.31 +/− 0.03 ug/mL vs. 0.99 +/= 0.17 ug/mL). Although the phytate content in Black Seed was 10.6 +/− 0.006 mg/g (caraway seed measure 10.2 +/− 0.006 mg/g), this level of phytate did not compromise the mineral status in rat plasma.