Black Seed Oil

Black seed oil is a substance that is extracted from the seeds of Nigella sativa, a plant that is native to Egypt, the sub-continent and Asia. Black seed and black seed oil have long been used as herbal medicine for skin conditions, such as eczema, psoriasis, acne and dry skin, allergies, colds and more serious health conditions, such as asthma, arthritis, cancer and diabetes. 

Generally, the possible antidiabetic mechanisms of N. sativa might be mediated via modulation of oxidative status (either through upregulation of endogenous antioxidants or reduction of oxidative species) [45, 47], attenuation of inflammation [45], improvement of lipid profiles, increased good cholesterol (HDL-c), while reducing bad cholesterols (LDL-c, TC, and TG) and body weight [44, 46, 51].

Black seed might lower blood sugar in some people. Diabetes medications are also used to lower blood sugar. Taking black seed along with diabetes medications might cause your blood sugar to go too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely. The dose of your diabetes medication might need to be changed. Some medications used for diabetes include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, metformin (Glucophage), pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), and others. Medications that decrease the immune system (Immunosuppressants)Interaction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.Talk with your health provider. Black seed might increase the immune system. By increasing the immune system, black seed might decrease the effectiveness of medications that decrease the immune system.

Legend has it that Cleopatra's secret to radiant skin was actually black seed oil! While we can't officially confirm this historical anecdote, one 2015 review study in the Journal of Dermatology & Dermatologic Surgery did find that applying a lotion of 10% black seed oil significantly and positively affected acne after two months, thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties. Other research has found that topical application of black seed oil speeds wound healing, which may help reduce blemishes and scarring. Black seed oil can also be diluted with a carrier oil (or added to shampoos) and applied to the scalp to soothe and reduce flakiness. With a quick "black seed oil + weight" search, you'll find a number of bloggers and vloggers raving about this oil's ability to melt away the pounds. While this may (rightly) induce some eye-rolling, some research suggests black cumin seed oil could somewhat aid in weight maintenance or at least fight risk factors for obesity.

Black Seed Oil

The intragastric supplementation of TQ (20 mg/mL) in aluminum trichloride and D-galactose induced neurotoxicity in rats showed a meaningful improvement of cognition, SOD, and total antioxidant capacity while reducing acetylcholinesterase activities. It also exhibited a reduction in MDA, nitric oxide levels, and tumor necrosis factor-α immunoreactivity and amplified brain derived neurotrophic factor and Bcl-2 levels [61]. While the effects of repeated administration of N. sativa in rats indicated that, there was an improvement in learning and recall status [62]. In addition, flavonoids isolated from black cumin have been shown to modulate critical neuronal signaling paths involved in the processes of memory and are likely to affect synaptic plasticity and long-standing potentiating mechanisms [63]. The neuropharmacological effects of the seed and oils of N. sativa and its active component, TQ, are described in Table 1. Based on the wide ranging neuropharmacological effects, black cumin seed, its oil, and the active principle thymoquinone (TQ) can be explored as a promising natural remedy for improvement of numerous neurological disorders.

Inflammation has a key role in various medical conditions such as cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, asthma, allergies, and cancer which all are associated with acute and/or chronic pain. The existing anti-inflammatory agents commonly comprise classes of drugs that produce severe adverse effects such as gastric ulcer, bone marrow depression, water, and salt retention, resulting from the extended use [80]. Medicinal herbs including black cumin might be a potential source of novel biological compounds that are safer and with fewer side effects. The volatile oil of black cumin and thymoquinone at various doses revealed a dose-reliant anti-inflammatory activity against carrageenan-induced hind paw edema in rats' parallel to indomethacin [81]. The volatile oil of N. sativa seed also displayed a substantial pain-relieving effect in acetic acid-induced writhing, formalin, and tail flick tests [82]. As stated by Al-Ghamdi, the water extract of black cumin also retained anti-inflammatory effects in carrageenan-induced paw edema comparable to acetyl salicylic acid at corresponding doses but failed to display antipyretic activity against yeast-induced pyrexia [83]. Furthermore, the alcoholic extract of black cumin exhibited a noteworthy pain-relieving effect in mice as compared to diclofenac sodium [84]. Additional study also showed that essential oil of black cumin has notable activity as a painkiller in acetic acid-induced writing, formalin, and tail flick tests. It was also revealed that this extract might elevate a significant swimming and anoxia tolerance time [85]. The anti-inflammatory action of TQ might be related to inhibition of the oxidative product of arachidonic acid formation, such as thromboxane B2 and leukotriene by blocking both cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase enzymes [86, 87].