Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of Nigella sativa silver nanoparticles (NS AgNPs). Methods: Fourier transform infrared analysis was used to characterize the NS AgNPs and the extract. 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl assay was done to test the antioxidant potency of NS AgNP. Furthermore, in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of the extract and the NS AgNP was determined by red blood cell (RBC) membrane stabilization assay, protein inhibition assay, and interleukin-1 (IL-1) beta assay. Results: The NS AgNP exhibited dose-dependent antioxidant property. At the concentration 0.01 mg/ml 80% of radical was scavenged by NS AgNP. Inhibition of protein denaturation assay also suggests that NS AgNP shows the highest activity (70%) when compared with the standard drug aspirin (65%). RBC assay suggests that NS AgNP stabilizes the RBC membrane and prevents leaking. In the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method the NS AgNP showed better IL-1 beta inhibition activity when compared to aqueous extract. Conclusion: From the study, it was inferred that NS AgNPs are more effective when compared to the extract. These results suggest that NS AgNP can be used to treat inflammatory disorders.

The richest biosource of drugs are from the medicinal plants which are the traditional medicine. The nutraceuticals, food supplements, Siddha, Ayurveda, pharamceutical medicines, synthetic drugs are from the plant sources. Inspite of large number of studies with herbal plants which have given good correlation in the phytochemical, anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory content, Nigella sativa- a spice plant of Ranunculacea family showed significant properties than their counterparts. The seeds of Nigella sativa and the essential oil were found to exhibit various pharmacological activities like antianalgesic, antiulcer, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antimicrobial, anticancer and anti-diabetic. Since there are no toxic effects or serious side effects observed using animal model and in the clinical trials, the study was carried out using Nigella sativa and Thymoquinone to find out the qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analysis, invitro - anti diabetic activity, anti inflammatory activity of Nigella sativa ethanolic extract and Thymoquinone effect on diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. The aim of the study is to prove that the Nigella sativa could be used as therapeutic agent and the compound Thymoquinone a potential cholienesterase inhibitor for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

The high order structure from proteins which are self-assembled are known as fibrils. They are collectively called as amyloid fibrils, which generally lead to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, Type II diabetes. Insulin fibril aggregation is identified to be the major cause of neurodegenerative diseases. The effect of Nigella sativa extract is analyzed based on the fibril inhibition process. The formed fibrils is reduced with the concentration increase of Nigella sativa extract. Insulin fibril is found in Type II diabetes patients after repeated insulin injections subcutaneously. Insulin fibrils are formed in organisms or humans irrespective of their places like hips, shoulder, hands and abdomen. These are evident from the anti-aggregation assay. Thioflavin T (ThT) fluroscence and congo red (CR) assay confirms the inhibition of insulin fibril in the presence of Nigella sativa (NS) extract. Further, inhibition of fibril was confirmed by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), where no insulin fibrils was detected whose secondary conformational changes are studied using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). It is confirmed that insulin fibril inhibition depends on the various concentration of Nigella sativa. Based on the results obtained, it is demonstrated that Nigella sativa extract inhibits the fibril formation and it also provides a therapeutic strategy to prevent insulin fibril formation.

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A protein is a large biomolecule which consists of one or more chains of amino acid residues. Proteins exhibit a biological phenomenon in which, they are misfolded as aggregates (i.e., accumulate and clump together) either intra-or extracellularly. This process plays a central role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and diabetes mellitus (DM) -2 and common for many degenerative diseases. In this case, the histopathological consequences of protein misfolding such as sensile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in AD and lewy bodies in Parkinson's disease occur. 8-10% of adult population shares risk factors with AD. Amyloid fibrils which build up in tissue as an abnormal protein form Amyloidosis. Conformational change in three-dimensional structure forms amyloid fibrils. Type 2 DM is characterized by the deposition of islet amyloid polypeptide within beta cells of the pancreas which leads to chronic cerebral hypoperfusion that result in degeneration of neuroglial cells.