The ancients described black seed as a “remedy for everything but death.” It has been used across epochs, with its roots in ancient Egypt, where it was found in Tutankhamen’s tomb. Commonly referred to simply as black seed, but also known as black cumin, black caraway, and onion seed, the tiny black seeds, derived from the annual flowering plant Nigella sativa, boast immense healing powers. Esteemed by Egyptian royalty, black seed has also been used in folk medicine in Europe and Asia, and has made appearances in the Bible and the writings of Hippocrates.
Within the ancient healing systems of the Persian Gulf, black seed was used to treat a host of illnesses. An article entitled “Nigella Sativa Seeds: Folklore Treatment in Modern Day Medicine” by Mohammad Tariq, published in The Saudi Journal of Gastroenterology, notes such illnesses include: “fever, cough, bronchitis, asthma, chronic headache, migraine, dizziness, chest congestion, dysmenorrhea, obesity, diabetes, paralysis, hemiplagia, back pain, infection, inflammation, rheumatism, hypertension, and gastrointestinal problems such as dyspepsia, flatulence, dysentery, and diarrhea.” Tariq also states that black seed “has been used as a stimulant, diuretic, emmenagogue, lactagogue, anthelmintic, and carminative” and that it “has also been used externally where it is applied directly to abscesses, nasal ulcers, orchitis, eczema, and swollen joints.”
Though revered by royalty and heralded by physicians in the ancient world, does black seed’s reputation stand up to empirical scrutiny? What does modern science have to say on the matter? Well, as it happens, quite a lot. Returning to Tariq’s research paper, he cities numerous studies that have identified black seed as having “analgesic, antilipemic, postcoital contraceptive, diuretic and antihypertensive, bronchodilator and calcium antagonist, histamine release inhibitor, hepatoprotective, anthelmintic, antifungal, antimicrobial (against a wide range of organisms), anticancer, and antiinflammatory activities.”
This arsenal of therapeutic effects makes black seed a mighty warrior on the battlefield against disease. Below is a list of some of black seed’s most impressive illness fighting capabilities and health benefits.
Fights Cancer
Black seed contains chemicals that have been proven to catalyze anticancer activity. A study conducted at the Natural Products Chemistry Laboratory in Lexington, Kentucky, found compounds within the seed (thymoquinone and dithymoquinone) to betoxic for several types of tumor cells. An essay published in the African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines documents black seed’s effectiveness against leukemia and cancers of the lung, kidney, liver, prostate, breast, cervix, and skin. Although the mechanisms behind such an anticancer role are not entirely clear, it is likely that the antioxidant compound within black seed known as thymoquinone (TQ) is the key.
Combats MRSA
Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an antibiotic resistant superbug that’s a persistent threat worldwide and is one of the most problematic pathogens encountered in hospitals and clinics. This bacteria is often carried on the skin and inside the nostrils and throat, potentially resulting in skin infections, boils, and impetigo. If the bacteria enters the body through a skin break, it can cause fatal conditions such as blood poisoning or endocarditis.
New antimicrobials are needed to combat this problem, and a compound found in black seed shows promise in this regard. A study conducted at the University of Health Sciences in Pakistan, found that black seed extract had an inhibitory effect on MRSA.