BLACK SEEDS (NIGELLA SATIVA LINN.) AS NATURAL FEED ALTERNATIVE IN POULTRY PRODUCTION

Abstract

A black seeds (Nigella sativa Linn.) is a medicinal and herbal plant with a rich historical background that has attracted many investigators to study and explore its potential effects. BSs contain essential components for the growth such as amino acids, vitamins and minerals and active substances. The main active ingredients are volatile oils, alkaloids, saponin and sterols. The major components of volatile oils are thymoquinone followed by dithymoquinone, thymohydroquinone and thymol. It has a great medicinal properties including, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immune-modulatory, antibacterial, appetite stimulant, anti-diarrheal, and as a parasitic remedy. BSs have been used as feed additive in livestock feeding program as a replacement for antibiotic drugs and numerous studies have been carried out to examine the effects of BSs on broiler and layer birds and the results indicated to potential effects to stimulate immunity and upgrade the production performance and economic efficiency of the birds.