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. 

For the most part, black seed oil is considered a safe and healthy supplement, but it might not be the best for people with certain conditions. "Black seed oil has been shown to have serious negative effects on kidney health, so if you have any kidney issues or a family history of kidney issues, you should avoid black seed oil," Zeitlin says. And because there isn't a whole ton of research on this, both Robinett and Zeitlin point out that black seed oil should probably not be consumed if you're pregnant or breastfeeding. And of course, always consult with a professional if you think there's a condition that might not mesh well with something like this.

In addition, it has been employed to determine the blood pressure lowering potential and possible mechanisms of N. sativa in rats' model, and it was found that the seed oil and nicardipine received groups' revealed substantial reduction in BP. The BP diminishing effect was related with a reduction in cardiac lipid peroxidation product and inhibitory activity of angiotensin converting enzyme in both groups but plasma nitric oxide level significantly increased in N. sativa oil received group than the placebo and nicardipine received groups [57]. Black cumin and its active component, thymoquinone, exhibited a reduction in oxidative stress via calcium channel blockade and increasing urine output activity which might have been linked to reduction in blood pressure [58]. Based on majority of these reports, various preparation of N. sativa showed a sustainable reduction of the BP in animal models and clinical studies hence can be explored as a promising basis of natural antihypertensive drugs.

Traditional medicinal plants have received much attention due to several factors such as low cost, ease of access, and lower adverse effect profiles as compared to synthetic medicines. Besides, various medicinal floras and their products are used on the basis of religious and cultural traditions. Among various plants, black cumin has been used by diverse human cultures around the world especially in Muslim population for centuries to treat numerous ailments. To date, a number of studies showed that black seed and its component including TQ have revealed a remarkable natural therapy for treatment of a wide range of illnesses including chronic noninfectious (neurologic disorders, DM, hypertension, dyslipidemia, inflammatory disorders, cancer, etc.) and infectious disease (bacterial, fungal, viral, and parasitic infections). Both animal and human studies also showed that black seed and TQ have potential to treat male infertility and their antioxidant activities have recently gained greater attention due to their role as dietary supplements with minimal side effects. Furthermore, when combined with different conventional chemotherapeutic agents, they synergize the effects which may reduce the dosage of the concomitantly used medicines and optimizing efficacy versus toxicity and it might also overcome drug resistance problem. Therefore, having wider safety margins and praiseworthy efficacy against wide range of maladies, it would be a potential herbal remedy to be assessed under clinical trial for numerous conditions. Isolation of novel bioactive components from black cumin and its oil and studies of their therapeutic effects using specific clinical models are further recommended.

Black Seed Oil

Zeitlin adds that it's probably best not to use this oil for cooking itself, but "more as a flavor addition afterwards," she says. "So you can mix it into your stir-fry once you have plated your meal." In addition to seconding the salad dressing idea, Zeitlin also recommends mixing it into your smoothie, tea, or latte. The seed of Nigella sativa (N. sativa) has been used in different civilization around the world for centuries to treat various animal and human ailments. So far, numerous studies demonstrated the seed of Nigella sativa and its main active constituent, thymoquinone, to be medicinally very effective against various illnesses including different chronic illness: neurological and mental illness, cardiovascular disorders, cancer, diabetes, inflammatory conditions, and infertility as well as various infectious diseases due to bacterial, fungal, parasitic, and viral infections. In spite of limited studies conducted so far, the promising efficacy of N. sativa against HIV/AIDS can be explored as an alternative option for the treatment of this pandemic disease after substantiating its full therapeutic efficacy. Moreover, the strong antioxidant property of this valued seed has recently gained increasing attention with regard to its potential role as dietary supplement with minimal side effects. Besides, when combined with different conventional chemotherapeutic agents, it synergizes their effects resulting in reducing the dosage of concomitantly used drugs with optimized efficacy and least and/or no toxicity. A number of pharmaceutical and biological properties have been ascribed to seeds of N. sativa. The present review focuses on the profile of high-value components along with traditional medicinal and biological principles of N. sativa seed and its oil so as to explore functional food and nutraceutical potential of this valued herb.

According to a case report conducted by Onifade et al., after treatment with 10 mL of black seed twice daily for 6 months, a complete regaining and seroreversion of a 46-year-old HIV positive patient was evidenced [117]. In addition, a 27-year-old HIV infected woman was diagnosed during ante-natal care; she was not eligible for antiretroviral therapy; hence herbal therapist initiated her on black cumin and honey mixture (10 mL) thrice daily for a year. The repeat serology assessments for HIV infection became negative with undetectable viral load. The woman also got 3 children (2007, 2010, and 2012) that all were breastfed and none of the children infected with HIV and her repeat CD4 count was not less than 750 cells/μL [118]. Nowadays HIV/AIDS is a serious global threat and in this regard, N. sativa can be a promising natural therapy to cure such a chronic infectious disease, after validating its full therapeutic efficacy by further investigations.