One thing I have found about black seed oil is it’s listed as a remedy for everything that ails the human body and books are now just starting to emerge with the secrets of its magical powers.
Black Seed Oil comes from the Nigella Sativa plant that is native to Asia. Recent studies on this incredibly powerful seed oil show it may be helpful in combating super bugs like MRSA or h.pylori and in cancer patients.
Its active compounds, crystalline nigellone and thymoquinone, are the most studied, but it also contains: myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, palmitoleic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, arachidonic acid, proteins and vitamins B1, B2,B3, calcium, folate, iron, copper, zinc and phosphorous.
Historical accounts of Black Seed use date back as far as the times of King Tut in Ancient Egypt. Cleopatra reportedly used black cumin seed oil for beautiful hair and skin and Hippocrates was fond of using it for digestive troubles.
Let’s do a quick list of its benefits:
Asthma & Allergies
- Multiple studies have found that black seed oil has anti-asthmatic effects and depending on the cause of asthma, it was sometimes more effective than conventional treatment. The same properties make it beneficial for relieving allergies for many people.
- Black seed oil is also used for skin problems like eczema and psoriasis. It helps sooth inflammation and improve the speed and which skin heals.
- Nigella Sativa seeds are carminative, meaning they aid in digestion and may decrease gas, bloating and stomach pain. Black seed oil is often sometimes used in remedies for intestinal parasites. In preliminary studies, it was also shown to inhibit the growth of colon cancer cells with no negative side effects.
- Black seed oil was also shown to be helpful in battling candida and fungal infections in the digestive system and on the skin.
- Other studies have shown that a compound in black seeds and oil, Thymoquinone, helps induce apoptosis (cell death) in leukemia cells and other studies have shown this same effect in breast cancer cells, brain tumor cells, pancreatic cancer, cervical cancer, and even oral cancer cells and cavity forming bacteria. Black seed oil is also sometimes recommended as a natural protection against some of the danger from radiation and used in conjunction with conventional treatments.
- Thymoquinone in Nigella Sativa seeds has also been shown to have a protective effect on the heart, promote healthy cholesterol levels and help normalize blood pressure.
- A 2010 study found that black seed oil was effective for patients with h.pylori infections (without ulcers). Studies have also shown that Nigella Sativa was effective against MRSA.
- Nigella Sativa is unique it way of supporting the immune system. it contains antioxidants, beneficial acids and b-vitamins and supports the immune system, but acts different than herbs like elderberry or echinacea that require caution for those with autoimmune disease. Black seeds seem to balance the immune system- increasing immune function but not encouraging immune reactions against the body’s healthy tissue.
- It has been used in alternative HIV protocols for years and it is often recommended on various autoimmune disease forums (with testimonials from those it has helped). I first found research on black seed oil when researching my own autoimmune thyroid disease.
- It is also used topically in some cultures to naturally soften, strengthen and firm skin and help increase hair growth. Some studies even suggest that it may be a very useful remedy against scars and to prevent scar formation on wounds.