Nigella sativa-Manganese Ferrite-Reduced Graphene Oxide-Based Nanomaterial: A Novel Adsorbent for Water Treatment.

In this study, a novel nanohybrid composite was fabricated via the incorporation of manganese ferrite (MnFe2O4) nanoparticles into the integrated surface of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and black cumin seeds (BC). The nanohybrid composite was prepared by a simple co-precipitation method and characterized by several spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. The characterization analysis revealed that the rGO-BC surface was decorated with the MnFe2O4. The strong chemical interaction (via electrostatic and H-bonding) between the integrated surface of rGO-BC and MnFe2O4 nanoparticles has been reported. The prepared composite was highly porous with a heterogeneous surface. The average size of the prepared composite was reported in the ranges of 2.6-7.0 nm. The specific surface area of the prepared composite was calculated to be 50.3 m2/g with a pore volume of 0.061 cc/g and a half pore width of 8.4 Å. As well, many functional sites on the nanohybrid composite surface were also found. This results in the excellent adsorption properties of nanohybrid composite and the effectual elimination of methylene blue dye from water. The nanohybrid was tested for various linear isotherms, such as Langmuir and Freundlich, for the adsorption of methylene blue dye. The Freundlich isotherm was the well-fitted model, proving the adsorption is multilayer. The maximum Langmuir adsorption capacity of nanohybrid composite for methylene blue was reported to be 74.627 mg/g at 27 °C. The adsorption kinetics followed the pseudo-second-order recommended surface interaction between the dye and nanohybrid composite. The interaction between methylene blue and the nanohybrid composite was also confirmed from the FTIR spectrum of the methylene blue-loaded adsorbent. The rate-determining step for the present study was intraparticle diffusion. Temperature-dependent studies of methylene blue adsorption were also carried out to estimate adsorption's free energy, enthalpy, and entropy. The methylene blue adsorption was feasible, spontaneous, and endothermic. A comparison study revealed that the present materials could be successfully prepared and used for wastewater treatment.

The Potential Role of Nigella sativa Seed Oil as Epigenetic Therapy of Cancer.

Nigella sativa oil, commonly known as black seed oil (BSO), is a well-known Mediterranean food, and its consumption is associated with beneficial effects on human health. A large number of BSO's therapeutic properties is attributed to its pharmacologically active compound, thymoquinone (TQ), which inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis by targeting several epigenetic players, including the ubiquitin-like, containing plant homeodomain (PHD) and an interesting new gene, RING finger domains 1 (UHRF1), and its partners, DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) and histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1). This study was designed to compare the effects of locally sourced BSO with those of pure TQ on the expression of the epigenetic complex UHRF1/DNMT1/HDAC1 and the related events in several cancer cells. The gas chromatographs obtained from GC-MS analyses of extracted BSO showed that TQ was the major volatile compound. BSO significantly inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7, HeLa and Jurkat cells in a dose-dependent manner, and it induced apoptosis in these cell lines. BSO-induced inhibitory effects were associated with a significant decrease in mRNA expression of UHRF1, DNMT1 and HDAC1. Molecular docking and MD simulation showed that TQ had good binding affinity to UHRF1 and HDAC1. Of note, TQ formed a stable metal coordinate bond with zinc tom, found in the active site of the HDAC1 protein. These findings suggest that the use of TQ-rich BSO represents a promising strategy for epigenetic therapy for both solid and blood tumors through direct targeting of the trimeric epigenetic complex UHRF1/DNMT1/ HDAC1.