High performance liquid chromatographic analysis of the pharmacologically active quinones and related compounds in the oil of the black seed (Nigella sativa L.).

An HPLC method for quantifying the putative pharmacologically active constituents: thymoquinone (TQ), dithymoquinone (DTQ), thymohydroquinone (THQ), and thymol (THY), in the oil of Nigella sativa seed is described. Extraction of the constituents from the oil was carried out using C18 PrepSep mini columns followed by quantification of the recovered constituents by HPLC on a reversed-phase muBondapak C18 analytical column, using an isocratic mobile phase of water:methanol:2-propanol (50:45:5% v/v) at a flow rate of 2 ml min(-1). UV detection was at 254 nm for TQ, DTQ, and THY, and at 294 nm for THQ. The above four compounds were separated with good resolution, reproducibility, and sensitivity under these conditions. This analytical method was used to quantify the above four constituents in a commercial sample of N. sativa seed oil, and provides a good quality control methodology for the pharmacologically active components in this widely used natural remedy.