Black seed, also called Nigella sativa, is an annual flowering plant, native to southwest Asia. Its seeds and oil have a long history of use as a complementary and alternative medicine. Recently, black seed is being studied scientifically for a variety of health benefits such as treatment for respiratory, stomach and intestinal problems, as well as kidney and liver disorders. If you want to use black seed oil to promote your health, you should talk to your doctor first.
Anti-Diabetic Activity
A placebo-controlled study of 94 patients with Type 2 diabetes found that black seed supplementation at doses of 1, 2 and 3 g per day attenuated blood glucose levels after three months of treatment. The results of this study, published in the October-December 2010 issue of the "Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology," showed that the hypoglycemic activity of black seed is due to the essential oil present.
Antimicrobial Activity
Black seed exhibits strong antimicrobial activity against strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis and other gram-positive bacteria, according to a 2008 study published in the "Hippocratic Journal of Unani Medicine." The study results show that black seed possesses antibacterial activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. However, sensitivity against gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus sanguis and Corynebacterium minutissimum was found to be stronger.
Allergic Airway Inflammation
T helper cells play a critical role in allergic airway inflammation. M. Shahzad, Ph.D., a professor of genetics and molecular biology at the Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Medicine in China, and colleagues propose that black seed could suppress allergic airway inflammation by inhibiting T cell function. The results of this study were first published in the February 2009 issue of the journal, "Pulmonary Pharmacology and Therapeutics."
Allergy Diseases
U. Kalus, Ph.D., a professor of transfusion of medicine at the Humboldt University in Berlin, and colleagues have investigated the effects of black seed on patients with allergy and related problems. In a study involving 152 participants, black seed reduced allergic symptoms without any side effects. The analysis of this study, published in the December 2003 edition of the journal, "Phytotherapy Research," confirmed that black seed has a positive effect against mild to moderate allergic diseases.
References
- "Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology": Effect of Nigella Sativa Seeds on the Glycemic Control of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus; A.O. Bamosa, et al.; 2010
- "Hippocratic Journal of Unani Medicine": Antimicrobial Activity of Black Cumin Seeds (Nigella sativa) Against Multidrug Resistant Strains of Coagulase Negative Staphylococci; Mohd Tariq Salman, et al.; 2008
- "Pulmonary Pharmacology and Therapeutics"; "Black Seed Oil Ameliorates Allergic Airway Inflammation by Inhibiting T-cell Proliferation in Rats"; M. Shahzad; February 2009
- "Phytotherapy Research"; "Effect of Nigella Sativa (Black Seed) on Subjective Feeling in Patients with Allergic Diseases; U. Kalus et al; December 2003
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