What is Black Seed?
Scientifically known as Nigella Sativa, the black seed has been discovered and used throughout the centuries in the West Asia, Middle East, Africa and South Asia, since more than 2000 years ago. It has been used traditionally by the Assyrians, the ancient Egyptians and the Romans, as remedy for a variety of ailments and treatments as well as for the beauty of the skin and hair.
Believe to be indigenous to the Mediterranean region, the herbaceous plant, Nigella Sativa and its black seed are known by other names, varying between places and languages. It is also known as Black Cumin, Black Caraway Seed, Habbatus Sawda, Habbatul Barakah (Blessed Seed), Shonaiz (Persian), Hei Zhong Cao (Chinese), Kalonji (Hindi), Jintan Hitam (Malay) and many other names in Western and Eastern Europe, and has been cultivated mostly in Saudi Arabia, Northern Africa and parts of Asia.
The earliest written reference to Black Seed is found in the Old Testament of the Bible and the Hebrew word for it, ketsah. A Greek physician of the 1st century recorded that Black Seed were taken to treat headaches, nasal congestion, toothache, intestinal worms and also as a diuretic to promote menstruation and increase milk production.
Black Seed indeed a prophetic medicine as recommended 1,400 years ago by the Prophet Mohammad (May peace be upon him). In his divine wisdom he said “Use the Black Seed for indeed, it is a cure for all diseases except death” (Sahih AL-Bukhary).
Ibnu Sina (980-1037), most famous for his volumes called “The canon of Medicine”, regarded by many as the most famous book in the history of medicine, East or West, refer to Black Seed as the seed “that stimulates the body’s energy and helps recovery from fatigue and dispiritness.”
Essential Properties of Black Seed
Black Seed is a complex substance of more than 100 compounds, some of which have not been studied and to be discovered. It is a rich source of unsaturated fatty acids and contains about 35% oil, 21% protein and 38% carbohydrates. More than 50% of the oils are essential fatty acids. Its linolic acid and gamma linolic acid content help form Prostaglandin E1, which helps the body to inhibit infections, balance the immune system, and regulates allergic reactions. It also contains volatile oils including Nigellone and Thymochinon which are responsible for its anti-histamine, anti-oxidant, anti-infective and broncho-dialiting effect. Other ingredients include Oleic Acid, Calcium, Potassium, Iron, Zinc, Magnesium, Selenium, Vitamin A, B, B2, Niacin and Vitamin C.
Uses and Application of Black Seed
Black Seed and its oil can be used internally, such as the treatments related to respiratory health, stomach and intestinal complaints, kidney and liver function, circulatory and immune system support, and to improve general health. Externally, among others it can be used as massage oil combinations, for scalp treatments, acne, eczema, psoriasis, arthritis and inflammations. Black Seed is also included in some recipes with breads, vegetables or meat and with its strong flavor, it is usually drink with tea best mixed with honey.
Benefits of Black Seed
Many clinical studies established astonishing effects of black seed on the maintaining of strong and healthy immune system. It helps support metabolism, digestion, lower blood sugar levels, and has been used to treat diabetes mellitus, meningitis and fight worms and parasites of the intestinal tract. It is also useful to individuals suffering from asthma and respiratory complaints, kidney and liver problems, digestive and stomach problems, arthritis, allergies, circulatory complaints and other ailments.
Black Seed with its essential properties, unquestionably play the positive role in the enhancement and stabilization of the immune system which combats diseases that are the product of defective immune system. If the immune system is maintained, it can improve its functions, the effect on the rest of the body can be felt. It should be regarded as part of an overall holistic approach to health and ideally should be incorporated into one’s everyday life. Overtime, the many nutritional values and healing properties contained in the Black Seed can supply the optimum resources to the need of the body immune system to help prevent and fight illness.
What Science Can Tell Us About Black Seed
In the past few decades, there are over dozens of research made by the scientist to uncover the secrets of Black Seed. They found that Black Seed is rich with:
Monosaccharide (single molecule sugars) in the form of glucose, rhamnose, xylose, and arabinose are found in the black seed.
The black seed contains a non-starch polysaccharide component which is a valuable source of dietary fiber.
It is rich in fatty acids, particularly the unsaturated and essential fatty acids (Linoleic and Linoleic acid). Essential fatty acids cannot be manufactured by the body alone, and therefore we acquire these from food.
Fifteen amino acids make up the protein content of the black seed, including eight of the nine essential amino acids. Essential amino acids cannot be synthesized within our body in sufficient quantities and are thus required from our diet.
Black seed contains Arginine which is essential for infant growth.
Chemical analysis has further revealed that the black seed contains carotene, which is converted by the liver into vitamin A, the vitamin known for its anti-cancer activity.
A study over a decade ago suggests that if used on an ongoing basis, black seed can play an important role to enhance human immunity, particularly in immuno-compromised patients.
Black Seed also has a significant role to treat disease because it can acts as a natural immune enhancer in the treatment of cancer, AIDS, and other disease conditions associated with weak immune system.
In 1986, Drs. El-Kadi and Kandil conducted a study with human volunteers to test the efficiency of black seed as a natural immune enhancer. The first group of volunteers received black seed capsules (1 gram twice daily) for four weeks and the second group were given a placebo.
A complete lymphocyte count carried out in all volunteers before and four weeks after administration of black seed and the placebo revealed that the majority of subjects who took black seed displayed a 72% increase in helper to suppressor T-cells ratio, as well as an increase in natural killer cell functional activity. The control group who received the placebo experienced a net decline in ratio of 7%.
With that result, it is conclusive that Black Seed has the potential to be a natural immune enhancer.
Researches and Clinical Studies On Black Seed
In the past 30 years, a lot of researches have been made on Black Seed. However, it is still less compared to many other herbs around the world. More efforts must be taken to fully utilize the power Black Seed has to offer.
Below are some of the researches made by scientists around the world:
Some Of The Notable Researches on Black Seed
- Effect of Nigella sativa (N. sativa L.) and oxidative stress on the survival pattern of MCF-7 breast cancer cells.
Jackson State University, Jackson, MS 39217, USA.
N. Sativa L., an oriental spice, has long been used as a natural medicine for treatment of many acute as well as chronic conditions. It has been used in the treatment of diabetes, hypertension, and dermatological conditions. There has been very few studies on the effects of N. Sativa as cancer prevention/therapy. Our objective therefore, was to expose MCF-7 breast cancer cells to aqueous and alcohol extracts and in combination with H2O2 as an oxidative stressor.
Measurement of cell survival under various concentrations and combinations was conducted using standard cell culture techniques, exposure protocols in 96 well plates and Fluorospectrosphotometry. Following cellular growth to 90% confluency, exposure to water (WE) and ethanol (AE) extracts of N. sativa and H2O2 was performed. Toxicity index (LC50) was calculated from percent survival using regression analysis. Results showed that the alcohol extract and its combinations were able to completely inactivate the MCF-7 cells (LC50 ranged from 377.16-573.79 in descending potency for H2O2 + AE, AE and Mix of WE and AE). H2O2 alone effectively inactivated MCF-7 cells (LC50 = 460.94).
The least effective combinations in descending potency were WE + H2O2, WE + AE + H2O2, and WE (LC50 were 725.79, 765.94, and 940.5 respectively. Combinations other than AE + H2O2 showed possible interactions, which lead to reduction in their potency. In conclusion, N. Sativa alone or in combination with oxidative stress were found to be effective in vitro in inactivating MCF-7 breast cancer cells, unveiling opportunities for promising results in the field of prevention and treatment of cancer.
- Protective effect of Nigella sativa seeds against carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage.
It has been reported that Nigella sativa oil possesses hepatoprotective effects in some models of liver toxicity. However, it is N. sativa seeds that are used in the treatment of liver ailments in folk medicine rather than its oil. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the aqueous suspension of N. sativa on carbon tetrachloride (CCL4)-induced liver damage. Aqueous suspension of the seeds was given orally at two dose levels (250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg) for five days.
CCL4 (250 microl/kg intraperitoneally / day in olive oil) was given to the experimental group on days 4 and 5, while the control group was only treated with the vehicles. Animals treated with CCL4 showed remarkable centrilobular fatty changes and moderate inflammatory infiltrate in the form of neutrophil and mononuclear cells when compared to the controls. This effect was significantly decreased in animals pretreated with N. sativa. Histopathological or biochemical changes were not evident following administration of N. sativa alone. Serum levels of aspartic transaminase (AST), and L-alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were slightly decreased while lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was significantly increased in animals treated with CCL4 when compared to the control group.
LDH was restored to normal but ALT and AST levels were increased in animals pretreated with N. sativa. In conclusion, N. sativa seeds appeared to be safe and possibly protective against CCL4-induced hepatotoxicity. However, further studies may still be needed prior to supporting its use in folk medicine for hepatic diseases.
- The in vitro effect of aqueous extract of Nigella sativa seeds on nitric oxide production.
Mahmood MS, Gilani AH, Khwaja A, Rashid A, Ashfaq MK.
Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, The Aga Khan University Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan.
The in vitro effect of aqueous extract of Nigella sativa seeds on nitric oxide (NO) production by murine macrophages was studied. Murine peritoneal macrophages were pre-incubated with the extract and then activated with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharride.
NO production was measured after 24 hours by spectrophotometry. The plant extract caused a dose-dependent decrease in NO production. Dialyzed preparation of the extract did not affect NO production. However, the boiled fraction of the extract resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of NO apparently comparable to that of the whole extract.
These results indicate that the aqueous extract of N. sativa seeds exhibits an inhibitory effect on nitric oxide production by murine macrophages and the active component(s) is/are non-protein in nature. In view of the fact that nitric oxide is a pro-inflammatory mediator, this study validates the traditional use of the Nigella sativa seeds for the treatment of rheumatism. Copyright 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
- Neuropharmacological activity of Nigella sativa L. extracts.
Al-Naggar TB, Gomez-Serranillos MP, Carretero ME, Villar AM.
Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
Pharmacological studies have been conducted on the aqueous and methanol extracts of defatted Nigella sativa L. seeds to evaluate their effects on the central nervous system (CNS) and on analgesic activity. The observations suggest that the two extracts of Nigella sativa possesses a potent CNS and analgesic activity (depressant action especially in the case of the methanolic extract).
