Black Cumin Seed Extract & Its Benefits

Black cumin seed (Nigella sativa) has a rich history of use in traditional medicine across Arabian, Indian, and Mediterranean cultures. Its seeds and oil have been prized for centuries, not only as a culinary spice but also as a remedy for various ailments. In ancient civilizations, black cumin seed was highly regarded for its ability to promote respiratory, digestive, circulatory, and immune health. In fact, it was so revered that black cumin seed oil was even discovered in the tomb of the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun. In Islamic tradition, black cumin seeds are often referred to as the “blessed seed” for their historical use in supporting health and wellness.

Nigella sativa: A Powerful Plant

Nigella sativa, commonly known as black cumin, belongs to the Ranunculaceae family. The Latin name “Nigella” refers to the seed’s black color, while “sativa” means cultivated. Originating from the Mediterranean and Asian regions, black cumin has been cultivated for over 3,000 years for its diverse health benefits. It is deeply rooted in Ayurvedic medicine, where it is called “Upakunchika” and is used to treat various conditions, particularly those affecting women’s health and digestion. The seeds are known for their thermogenic and hot potency, which helps balance vata and kapha doshas in Ayurveda, making them useful for promoting reproductive health, soothing digestive discomfort, and calming the mind.

Black Cumin Seed’s Key Components

Black cumin seeds contain several bioactive compounds, including thymoquinone, dithymoquinone, thymol, and thymohydroquinone. Thymoquinone, in particular, has been the subject of numerous studies for its potential antioxidant (Abd-Elkareem et al., 2021), anti-inflammatory (Alkharfy et al., 2018), and antimicrobial (Mouwakeh et al., 2018) properties. Some research has suggested that thymoquinone may also support healthy blood pressure (Enayatfard et al., 2018) and healthy blood sugar levels (Bule et al., 2020) that are already within the normal range and support neurological (Abulfadl et al., 2018) and digestive health (Bukar et al., 2017).

Scientific Studies on Nigella sativa

Preliminary studies on Nigella sativa, particularly its key component thymoquinone, have explored its potential health benefits. Research indicates that thymoquinone may support normal inflammatory responses by targeting key enzymes such as 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) and cyclooxygenase (COX) (Hannan et al., 2021). Additional research has investigated its role in promoting healthy immune function (Asaduzzaman Khan et al., 2017) and protecting against oxidative stress. Recent studies suggest that Nigella sativa supports sleep and stress health by positively influencing the sleep-wake cycle. It increases melatonin production and release, which suppresses orexin neurons (a neuropeptide) and reduces cortisol levels, thereby modulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis (Das et al., 2021; Mohan et al., 2024). This mechanism helps explain its beneficial effects on improving sleep quality and reducing stress.

Applications of Black Cumin Seed Extract

• Occasional Sleeplessness & Stress Relief: May support sleep quality and relaxation.
• Antioxidant Support: Provides free radical scavenging properties, helping to protect cells from oxidative stress.
• Inflammatory Support: Supports the body’s natural inflammatory response.
• Liver Health: May support liver health and detoxification.
• Immune Support: Helps to maintain a healthy immune system.

Conclusion

Black cumin seed extract, especially its bioactive compound thymoquinone, offers a scientifically backed, plant-based solution for a wide range of health concerns, from sleep and stress management to immune and liver health. With centuries of traditional use now supported by modern research, Nigella sativa continues to be a valuable tool for promoting holistic health and wellness.

References

• Abd-Elkareem M, Abd El-Rahman MAM, Khalil NSA, Amer AS. Antioxidant and cytoprotective effects of Nigella sativa L. seeds on the testis of monosodium glutamate challenged rats. Sci Rep. 2021 Jun 29;11(1):13519. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-92977-4. PMID: 34188150; PMCID: PMC8242002.
• Ahmad A, Alkharfy KM, Jan BL, Ahad A, Ansari MA, Al-Jenoobi FI, Raish M. Thymoquinone treatment modulates the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway and abrogates the inflammatory response in an animal model of lung fibrosis. Exp Lung Res. 2020 Apr-May;46(3-4):53-63. doi: 10.1080/01902148.2020.1726529. Epub 2020 Feb 13. PMID: 32053036.
• Mouwakeh A, Kincses A, Nové M, Mosolygó T, Mohácsi-Farkas C, Kiskó G, Spengler G. Nigella sativa essential oil and its bioactive compounds as resistance modifiers against Staphylococcus aureus. Phytother Res. 2019 Apr;33(4):1010-1018. doi: 10.1002/ptr.6294. Epub 2019 Jan 23. PMID: 30672036.
• Enayatfard L, Mohebbati R, Niazmand S, Hosseini M, Shafei MN. The standardized extract of Nigella sativa and its major ingredient, thymoquinone, ameliorates angiotensin II-induced hypertension in rats. J Basic Clin Physiol Pharmacol. 2018 Dec 19;30(1):51-58. doi: 10.1515/jbcpp-2018-0074. PMID: 30269105.
• Hannan MA, Rahman MA, Sohag AAM, Uddin MJ, Dash R, Sikder MH, Rahman MS, et al. Black cumin (Nigella sativa L.): A comprehensive review on phytochemistry, health benefits, molecular pharmacology, and safety. Nutrients. 2021;13(6):1784. doi: 10.3390/nu13061784.
• Bule M, Nikfar S, Amini M, Abdollahi M. The antidiabetic effect of thymoquinone: A systematic review and meta-analysis of animal studies. Food Res Int. 2020;127:108736. doi:10.1016/j.foodres.2019.108736.
• Abulfadl YS, El-Maraghy NN, Ahmed AAE, Nofal S, Badary OA. Protective effects of thymoquinone on D-galactose and aluminum chloride induced neurotoxicity in rats: biochemical, histological and behavioral changes. Neurol Res. 2018 Apr;40(4):324-333. doi: 10.1080/01616412.2018.1441776. Epub 2018 Feb 21. PMID: 29464986.
• Bukar MA, Ishaya HB, Dibal NI, Attah MO. Gastroprotective effect of Nigella sativa seed on ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in rats. Libyan J Med Sci. 2017;1(3):63-67. doi:10.4103/LJMS.LJMS_23_17.
• Ratheesh M, Nagarajan NS, Nair AS, et al. Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-arthritic effect of thymoquinone-rich black cumin (Nigella sativa) oil (BlaQmax®) on adjuvant-induced arthritis. J Food Res. 2021;10(1):52. doi: 10.5539/jfr.v10n1p52.
• Asaduzzaman Khan M, Tania M, Fu S, Fu J. Thymoquinone, as an anticancer molecule: from basic research to clinical investigation. Oncotarget. 2017;8(31):51907-51919. Published 2017 Apr 18. doi:10.18632/oncotarget.17206
• Das S, Nayak P, Bhanja S, Nanda R, Mohanty S. Thymoquinone-rich black cumin oil improves sleep quality, alleviates anxiety/stress in healthy subjects with sleep disturbances: A pilot polysomnography study. J Herb Med. 2021;100507. doi: 10.1016/j.hermed.2021.100507.
• Tavakkoli A, Mahdian V, Razavi BM, Hosseinzadeh H. Review on clinical trials of black seed (Nigella sativa) and its active constituent, thymoquinone. J Pharmacopuncture. 2017;20(3):179-193. doi: 10.3831/KPI.2017.20.022.
• Mohan ME, Mohan MC, Prabhakaran P, Syam Das S, Krishnakumar IM, Baby Chakrapani PS. Exploring the short-term influence of a proprietary oil extract of black cumin (Nigella sativa) on non-restorative sleep: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled actigraphy study. Front Nutr. 2024 Jan 15;10:1200118. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1200118. Erratum in: Front Nutr. 2024 Feb 13;11:1378259. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1378259. PMID: 38288065; PMCID: PMC10822901.

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