Black Seed Oil in Medicine and Its Role in Cancer Treatment

Other known names

• Damascus black seed
• Kırk black seed
• Karamuk
• Black sesame
• Nigella sativa (scientific name)

What is black seed?

The plant we know as black seed, Nigella sativa, has existed worldwide since ancient times. It is used in traditional medical practices such as Ayurveda, Unanai and Siddha. Avicennabelieved that black seed helped relieve fatigue. In Arabic, these seeds are known as blessed seeds , meaning "Habbatul barakah."

Black seed originally spread from the Middle East and Southwest Asia. The plant is 20-90 cm tall with colorful leaves. Black seed can be eaten directly, or its oil taken in capsules. Described as a "miracle plant," it is claimed to help treat many different diseases.

Let us see whether black seed's "health" effects support these claims:

• Black seed in asthma treatment:

There are some positive signals from early clinical studiessupporting a possible role for black seed oil as an additional asthma treatment. However, no evidence supports using it instead of standard medical treatment.

• Black seed in eczema treatment:

Research in this area suggests that black seed oil may be as effective as topical steroids for hand eczema, but the study was limited to a small number of patients and short follow-up. Therefore, no clear position can be taken on black seed's role in eczema treatment.

• Black seed for digestion and Helicobacter pylori treatment:

Relevant studies show that black seed oil's effect varies with the dose used and may produce different results. Longer studies are needed before reaching firm conclusions about its role and appropriate dosage.

-Related topic: Preventing stomach cancer by treating Helicobacter pylori infection

• Black seed in Candida (fungal) infections:

There are no studies testing black seed oil in humans with Candida infection. In a laboratory study in India, black seed oil showed antifungal activity against four Candida species. However, no human study supports using it for fungal infections such as Candida.

• Black seed in cancer treatment:

Hundreds of articles have been published on the anticancer potential of black seed's chemical components. A comprehensive review discussed Nigella sativaand its potential, mechanism of action and future clinical use. Nigella sativa in laboratory studies showed antioxidant activity and affected DNA structure, exhibiting some anticancer activities through its effects on carcinogenic signaling molecules and its regulation of the immune system .

However, like many plant products that have not become actual cancer drugs, Nigella sativa has demonstrated effects in laboratories and animal cancer models, but no human clinical study has proved the cancer treatment claims.

In conclusion, no clinical study recommends black seed for cancer treatment.

Note: We do not claim that any product obtainable from plants or nature has or will have no place in cancer treatment. Some of the chemotherapy drugs already available to us were produced from plants. The discovery of cancer drugs from plants has a history of more than 70 years, and for this purpose almost hundreds of thousands of plants have been screened , with only a few becoming chemotherapy drugs (shown below). Today, science has abandoned the search for "weak" cancer treatments from plants and turned toward genetic and immune therapies .

In summary, plants have yielded only chemotherapies, which many people already dislike, and the reality is that the era of obtaining cancer drugs from plants ended long ago.

• Black seed's effect on heart health:

Some studies evaluating black seed oil's effects on heart health have produced no results or conflicting results.

• Black seed's effect on the immune system:

Its potential role as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulator has been the subject of much research. Experimental data suggest that Nigella sativamay play a role in immune-related problems, but there is not yet enough information to recommend its use for this purpose.

• Black seed for skin and hair health:

Nigella sativahas very little information supporting its use for hair and skin health. Black seed oil cannot currently be recommended for hair or skin.

Warning about black seed's side effects

Nigella sativais considered well tolerated, but studies are few and involve short follow-up, so clear side effects have not been reported. Only a study in France warned that intensive oral use could cause a skin rash.

Conclusion

Scientific data on black seed's "health" effects in humans and patients are very limited. Larger and more numerous human studies are needed before saying that popular products marketed as alternative treatments, such as black seed, its extract or black seed oil capsules, have a role in treating diseases and cancer. For now, modern medicine does not support the idea that black seed / Nigella sativa is a "miracle plant."