Classification (APG IV)
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Ranunculales
Family: Ranunculaceae
Genus: Nigella
Species: Loce-in-a-mist - Nigella Damascena L.

Botanical Description
Love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena) is an annual monoecious herbaceous plant with bisexual flowers, growing 20–50 cm tall. The stem is erect, and the leaves are bipinnate or tripinnate, with thread-like lobes. The flowers are typically shades of blue but can also be white, pink, or pale violet. There are 5–25 sepals, while the true petals are small, claw-shaped, and located at the base of the stamens. [1-3]

The petals feature pseudonectaries, which do not secrete nectar but play an essential role in pollination by "glowing" in a bee’s visual spectrum by reflecting UV light. [4] The pistil consists of 4–5 carpels. The fruit is a capsule containing numerous droplet-shaped seeds resembling sesame seeds, slightly over 2 mm long. [2,3]

Distribution
Native to southern Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia, Turkish black cumin thrives in sandy soils and hot, dry climates. [3] It is also cultivated as an ornamental plant, including in Estonia.

Effects and Uses
Turkish black cumin seeds have expectorant properties and are used as a spice. When ground, the dried seeds release a spicy aroma and have a bitter taste. [2]

The plant contains 57 identified natural compounds, including alkaloids, flavonoids, diterpenes, triterpenes, and aromatic compounds. Isolated compounds and extracts obtained using solvents of varying polarities have demonstrated a wide range of biological activities in vitro, including antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, and antiviral effects. Further research is needed to explore the plant’s pharmacological potential. [5]

Animal studies have shown the anti-inflammatory properties of its essential oil. The active compound damascenine (methyl-3-methoxy-2-(methylamino)benzoate) was studied for its effects. [6]

In traditional medicine, love-in-a-mist has been used to reduce fever and alleviate menstrual discomfort. [6]

References
1. Brickell, C. (2008). The Royal Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 726. ISBN 9781405332965.
2. Heiss, Andreas, Stika, Hans-Peter, Zorzi, Nicla, & Jursa, Michael. (2013). Nigella in the Mirror of Time: A Brief Attempt to Draw a Genus’ Ethnohistorical Portrait. 10.13140/2.1.3918.3364.
3. Raal, A. (2010). Maailma ravimtaimede entsüklopeedia. Tallinn: Eesti Entsüklopeediakirjastus.
4. Liao, H., Fu, X., Zhao, H., et al. (2020). The morphology, molecular development and ecological function of pseudonectaries on Nigella damascena (Ranunculaceae) petals. Nature Communications, 11, 1777. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-15658-2.
5. Badalamenti, N., Modica, A., Bazan, G., Marino, P., & Bruno, M. (2022). The ethnobotany, phytochemistry, and biological properties of Nigella damascena - A review. Phytochemistry, 198, 113165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phytochem.2022.113165.
6. Sieniawska, E., Michel, P., Mroczek, T., Granica, S., & Skalicka-Woźniak, K. (2019). Nigella damascena L. essential oil and its main constituents, damascenine and β-elemene modulate inflammatory response of human neutrophils ex vivo. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 125, 161–169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2018.12.057.

Süstemaatiline kuuluvus (APG IV)
Riik: Taimed (Plantae)
Klaad: Soontaimed (Tracheophyta)
Klaad: Katteseemnetaimed (Angiospermae)
Klaad: Päriskaheidulehelised (Eudicotyledonae)
Selts: Tulikalaadsed / Ranunculales
Sugukond: Tulikalised / Ranunculaceae
Perekond: Mustköömen / Nigella
Liik: Türgi mustköömen / Nigella damascena L.

Botaaniline kirjeldus
Türgi mustköömen on üheaastane 20 – 50 cm kõrgune ühekojaline mõlemasuguliste õitega rohttaim. Vars on püstine, lehed kaheli või kolmetiselt sulgjagused, niitjate hõlmadega. Õied enamasti erinevat tooni sinised, vahel valged, roosad või kahvatulillad. Tupplehti 5-25. Tegelikud kroonlehed asuvad tolmukate allosas ja on väikesed ning küünisekujulised. [1-3] Kroonlehtedel paiknevad pseudonektaariumid, mis omavad tolmlemisel olulist rolli, kuigi nektarit ei erita. Need nimelt „helendavad“ mesilase nägemisulatuses peegeldades UV-valgust. [4]  Emakkond on 4-5 osaline. Vili on kupar, milles on palju tilgakujulisi seesamiseemneid meenutavaid pisut üle 2 mm pikkuseid seemneid. Alloleval joonisel on kolme mustköömne liigi võrdlus. [2, 3]

Levila
On looduslikult levinud Euroopa lõuna-, Aafrika põhja- ja Aasia läänepoolsetel aladel. Eelistab kasvukohana liivast pinnast ning kuiva ja kuuma kliimat. [3]  Ilutaimena kasvatatakse ka Eestis.

Toime ja kasutamine

Türgi mustköömne seemnetel on röga lahtistav toime. Maitsetaim. Kuivatatud seemnete jahvatamisel on tunda vürtsikat lõhna, maitse mõrkjas. [2]

Taimest on isoleeritud ja iseloomustatud 57 looduslikku ühendit. Nende koostisest on peamiselt leitud alkaloidid, flavonoidid, diterpeenid, triterpeenid ja aromaatilised ühendid. Eraldatud ühendid ja erinevate polaarsustega lahustitega saadud ekstraktid on in vitro näidanud mitmekülgset bioloogilise aktiivsuse spektrit: näiteks antioksüdantset, antibakteriaalset, seene, kasvaja-, põletiku-, palaviku-, ja viirusevastast toimet. Taime farmakoloogiline potentsiaal vajab veel uurimist. [5] Katsed hiirtega on tõestanud eeterliku õli põletikuvastast toimet. Toimeainena uuriti alkaloidi damaskeniini (Metüül-3-metoksü-2-(metüülamiino)bensoaati). [6]

Idamaade rahvameditsiinis on tarvitatud palaviku alandamiseks ning menstruatsiooni tulenevate vaevuste raviks. [6]

Kasutatud allikad
1. Brickell, C. (2008). The Royal Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. lk. 726. ISBN 9781405332965.
2. Heiss, Andreas & Stika, Hans-Peter & Zorzi, Nicla & Jursa, Michael. (2013). Nigella in the Mirror of Time: A Brief Attempt to Draw a Genus’ Ethnohistorical Portrait. 10.13140/2.1.3918.3364. 
3. Raal, A. (2010). Maailma ravimtaimede entsüklopeedia. Tallinn: Eesti Entsüklopeediakirjastus
4. Liao, H., Fu, X., Zhao, H., jpt. (2020). The morphology, molecular development and ecological function of pseudonectaries on Nigella damascena (Ranunculaceae) petals. Nature Communications, 11, 1777. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-15658-2
5. Badalamenti, N., Modica, A., Bazan, G., Marino, P., & Bruno, M. (2022). The ethnobotany, phytochemistry, and biological properties of Nigella damascena - A review. Phytochemistry, 198, 113165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phytochem.2022.113165
6. Sieniawska, E., Michel, P., Mroczek, T., Granica, S., & Skalicka-Woźniak, K. (2019). Nigella damascena L. essential oil and its main constituents, damascenine and β-elemene modulate inflammatory response of human neutrophils ex vivo. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 125, 161-169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2018.12.057