In this study, researchers at the Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara (SDM) College of Ayurveda in India examined the pharmacognostic, physicochemical and phytochemical characteristics of Guizotia abyssinica. Their findings were published in The Journal of Phytopharmacology.

• G. abyssinica, also known as niger seeds or ramtil, is a branched herb with an erect, stout stem.
• Its seeds are a rich source of oil with a high nutritional index.
• Traditionally, the powder made from niger seeds is used as a remedy for cough, while the extracted oil is used for rheumatism.
• Niger seed powder is also used to make different dishes, such as dry chutney, or as a condiment.
• For their study, the researchers collected matured niger seeds and used microscopy and chromatography to characterize them.
• They described the seeds as achene, obovoid and narrowly long like a needle, black with white to yellow scars on top.
• Microscopic study showed that they have an epidermis and an endodermis filled with aleurone grains and oil globules.
• Meanwhile, they found that niger seeds have a higher solubility in alcohol than in water.
• They also detected the presence of alkaloids, plant steroids, carbohydrates, terpenoids and coumarins in niger seeds.
• Chromatography revealed prominent spots with Rf (retention factor) values 0.54, 0.58 and 0.70 under short UV, and 0.45 and 0.82 under long UV.

Based on pharmacognostical anaylsis, the researchers concluded that niger seeds are a nutritious source of edible oil with therapeutic utility due to their abundance in phytonutrients.

Read the full study at this link.

Journal Reference:

Shashikala B, Suma V M, Suchitra P. QUALITY CONTROL CONSTRAINT OF GUIZOTIA ABYSSINICA CASS, SOURCE OF MEDICINALLY USEFUL EDIBLE OIL SEEDS. The Journal of Phytopharmacology. 2018;7(5):431-436.