Black Cumin (also known as fennel flower, nutmeg flower, black caraway and Roman coriander)

400 peer reviewed medical studies

Article #1 By Ian Clark - thealternativedaily

Known as Islam’s miracle cure seed – black cumin is also called Habbatul barakah, meaning the “seed of blessing.”

Black cumin seeds (Nigella sativa) have been used therapeutically for over 3,300 years, since their first reported discovery in Egyptian Pharoah Tutankhamun’s tomb. Part of the buttercup family, the seeds are dark, thin, and crescent-shaped when whole.

There have been reports of these “magical” seeds used throughout history in the Middle East, the Mediterranean and India – for minor headaches and skin irritations – to otherwise deemed impossible circumstance. Regarded throughout the entire Middle East as one of the most powerful anti-carcinogenic herbs ever existing…

Cleopatra used it as a beauty treatment.
Queen Nefertiti used black seed oil to bring luster to her hair and nails.
Hippocrates used it to cure digestive and metabolic disorders.
The Prophet Muhammad called it “a remedy for every illness except death.”
Archaeologists even confirmed King Tut kept a bottle of Black Cumin Seed Oil in his tomb –for use in the afterlife.

Which brings no surprise that black cumin seed oil has also been used by practitioners of Ayurveda and Chinese traditional medicine for thousands of years for a similarly endless list of conditions from migraines to diabetes to cancer. But in recent years, it has been put to the test and several scientific studies confirm its long reported health benefits.

Referred to as “The Remedy” for all things”…

With proven effectiveness against the most life-threatening culprits, including, but not limited to – cancer, bacteria, viruses, ulcers, diabetes, chronic inflammation, liver & pancreatic disease, fungus, molds and deadly parasites….

Black cumin may be the most “all-in-one” health provider in existence. Since 1964, there have been 458 published studies involving black cumin – confirming what Middle Eastern and North African cultures have known for thousands of years – that black cumin is nothing short of a miracle all-healing remedy.

It’s native source – Nigella sativa has been involved in hundreds of studies regarding health, and particularly cancer treatment and prevention. One of its active ingredients, thymoquinone, has been effective in reducing the size of existing tumors. In studies on rats and humans, black cumin seed oil has been found to do the following:

Inhibit tumor growth by up to 50%
Increase the growth of healthy bone marrow cells by 250%
Aid in the production of natural interferon
Demonstrate strong anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties
Help to protect the body against damage from chemotherapy and radiation
Deactivate and/or kill certain types of cancer cells

The tangible miracle of black cumin

It is one of the earliest cultivated plants in human history. Meaning it was one of the early providers of life. Their black seeds contain over 100 chemical compounds and some of the ingredients are yet to be discovered and identified.

The main active ingredient in black seed oil is crystalline nigellone. The seed oil also contains beta sitosterol, thymoquinone, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, palmitoleic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, arachidonic acid, proteins and vitamins B1, B2 and B3.

Seeds also contain calcium, folic acid, iron, copper, zinc and phosphorous. The high content of phytosterols found in black cumin oil – is also necessary for the human body for natural production of hormones, provitamin D and bile acid – aiding in a prevention of endocrine disorders, immune deficiency and the #1 killer – cardiovascular disease. As a result, these tiny black cumin seeds – provide an all-around super multi-vitamin of nutrition.

5 ‘Life-Saving’ reasons to consume black cumin daily and allow for miraculous living…

Potent enough to jumpstart the immune system - tackling nasty threats like cancer and HIV successfully

Dr. Gary Null states – “every time you take black cumin you are stimulating your immune system to fight on your behalf and increase natural killer cells.” Thus, referring to its ability to improve the immune system, and treat even the most impossible invaders like cancer and HIV, successfully.

Black cumin does this by helping to stimulate the production of bone marrow and cells of the immune system. It increases the production of interferon, protects normal cells from the damaging effects of harmful invaders, destroys tumor cells and increases the number of antibody producing B cells within us.

In turn, black cumin supports the entire body. Its immune-building properties and active compounds have been proven to fight a never-ending list of diseases and autoimmune disorders – via the boosting of the body’s immune cell production, bone marrow, and natural interferon. Even for people in the best state of health, consuming black cumin regularly – can greatly increase their vitality and well-being.

Yemen woman has stage 3 cancer disappear

A woman in Yemen, suffering of stage 3 cancer – longed for natural treatment. She was advised to take black cumin seeds with honey three times a day, in addition to garlic and honey. After three months, her cancer completely disappeared. The woman continued consumption of these nutrient foods even after illness had diminished.

And not only has black cumin demonstrated to improve a variety of Cancer situations like hers, but researchers at the Cancer Immuno-Biology Laboratory in South Carolina also found – black cumin helps stimulate the activity of neutrophil granulocytes – the most abundant type of white blood cell in the body. These neutrophils target cancer cells before they multiply, and eliminate them before they can develop into harmful tumors.

The ‘deadliest” form of cancer proves no match

Nigella sativa has been well-documented for its ability to fight many forms of cancer, including pancreatic cancer. Right now, pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in America, because the survival rate after five years of conventional cancer treatment is sadly, only 4 percent. A study conducted at Kimmel Cancer Center, at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia – revealed that Nigella sativa DESTROYED pancreatic cancer cells – with an incredible 80 percent cancer tumor cell death!

It also stopped the gene transcription process so cancer cells could not replicate! The magic ingredient in Nigella sativa appears to be thymoquinone. Researchers believe thymoquinone holds promise as a preventative strategy both for patients who have already gone through surgery and chemotherapy, as well as a promising preventative measure – especially for those genetically prone.

Follow your heart, you’ll need it

The utmost vitality doesn’t mean anything if you don’t maintain a HEALTHY HEART. Black cumin benefits the heart and cardiovascular system in a variety of impressive ways… Rich unsaturated omega 6 & 9 acids and phytosterols help fortify and increase the elasticity of blood vessel walls, decrease capillary fragility and permeability, prevents thrombus formation, and decrease arterial pressure.

It also assists in the decrease of blood cholesterol – preventing formation of dangerous atherosclerotic plaque, as well as preventing development of inflammatory elements in the overall cardiovascular system. Additionally, black cumin has been used for tachycardia, bradycardia, hypotension, hypertension, as well as alternative heart diseases.

Protection against antibiotic resistant “super bugs” – already threatening our future

In 1989, an article about phenomenal properties of black cumin was published in the Pakistani Medical Journal. Then in 1992, research of the antibacterial properties of black cumin – in comparison with strong antibiotics was carried out in the medical department of the University of Dhaka, in Bangladesh. The facts were very facsinating – black cumin oil demonstrated itself as a MORE EFFICIENT remedy against certain types of bacteria including those which most strongly resist antibiotic drugs.

Black cumin has been shown to contain the following properties, which help define its powerful medicinal value.

Analgesic (pain-killing)
Antibacterial
Anti-inflammatory
Anti-ucler
Anti-cholinergic
Anti-fungal
Anti-hypertensive
Antioxidant
Antispasmodic
Antiviral
Bronchodilator
Gluconeogenesis inhibitor (anti-diabetic)
Hepato-protective (liver protecting)
Hypotensive
Insulin sensitizing
Interferon inducer
Reno-protective (kidney protecting)
Tumor necrosis factor alpha inhibitor

Conditions successfully impacted by consistent ingestion of black cumin oil

Cancer
Heart disease
Dermatitis
Prostate issues
Weakness
Gallbladder stones
Kidney stones
Hemorrhoids
Varicose veins
Colds and flu’s
Intestinal parasites
Lethargy and depression
Parasites
Candida albicans
Allergies and sinusitis
Anxiety and nervous tension
Bronchitis
Colic (babies)
Diabetes
Diarrhea, indigestion and heartburn
Headaches and migraines
High blood pressure
Insomnia
Chronic fatigue
High blood pressure
Depression
Asthma
Fungal and other infections
Joint pain
Psoriasis
Sore muscles

Additonal therapeutic qualities of black cumin

Stimulates menstrual periods
Increases healthy fat in the blood
Improves body tone
Calms nervous system
Boosts immune system function and response
Boosts functioning of metabolic processes.
Nourishes the skin and helps in the regeneration of damaged cells
Decreases the cholesterol level in blood
Prevents development of inflammatory processes in the cardiovascular system
Helps fortify and increase the elasticity of blood vessel walls
Helps acne
Helps relieve backache, arthritis and rheumatism
Helps burns
Improves hair growth and even prevents poliosis (early graying)
Boosts production of bone marrow
Helps with eczema
Stimulates urine production
Improves respiratory problems/symptoms
Fights infectious disease
Prevents epileptic seizures
Increases flow of breast milk in nursing mothers

The best way to consume black cumin

The “OIL” - is the most effective form to consume because it is more concentrated than whole seeds unpressed, and is more readily assimilated. Also, because of it’s potent, absorbable concentration – only 1/2 teaspoon is needed per dose. Most health experts and natural physicians recommend taking 1/2 teaspoon of the oil two-three times per day for therapeutic effects, on an empty stomach/before meals and bedtime.Or once per day, for a healthy maintenance dose or as a preventative measure.

Black cumin can have sedative effects for some though, and because the oils have bile-expelling characteristics, in my opinion, it is best taken in the evening – unless utilizing 2-3x per day for therapeutic benefits. You can take the oil on its own, mixed in water or juice (great with raw honey), or can be added to warm tea – like herbal chai, etc.

Many people have also added a small amount to their face & body creams, with phenomenal results. Also beneficial topically for burns, psoriasis and alternative skin disorders. Mix with honey and/or garlic for a great tonic for effective immunity-boosting during cold and flu season. Black cumin should be taken daily as a preventative measure for all illness, and life-long vitality.

First, it must be (true) black cumin oil – purely from Nigella sativa. You also only want to purchase organic, pure-pressed oil that is completely free of all additives – and should be stored in a light-protective and air-sealed bottle.

Article # 2 by Sayer Ji, GreenmedInfo

Black Seed - 'The Remedy For Everything But Death'

This humble, but immensely powerful seed, kills MRSA, heals the chemical weapon poisoned body, stimulates regeneration of the dying beta cells within the diabetic's pancreas, and yet too few even know it exists.

The seeds of the annual flowering plant, Nigella Sativa, have been prized for their healing properties since time immemorial. While frequently referred to among English-speaking cultures as Roman coriander, black sesame, black cumin, black caraway and onion seed, it is known today primarily as black seed, which is at the very least an accurate description of its physical appearance.

The earliest record of its cultivation and use come from ancient Egypt. Black seed oil, in fact, was found in Egyptian pharoah Tutankhamun's tomb, dating back to approximately 3,300 years ago.[i] In Arabic cultures, black cumin is known as Habbatul barakah, meaning the "seed of blessing." It is also believed that the Islamic prophet Mohammed said of it that it is "a remedy for all diseases except death."

Many of black cumin's traditionally ascribed health benefits have been thoroughly confirmed in the biomedical literature. In fact, since 1964, there have been 458 published, peer-reviewed studies referencing it.

We have indexed salient research, available to view on GreenMedInfo.com on our Black Seed (Nigella Sativa) page, on well over 40 health conditions that may be benefited from the use of the herb.

These pharmacological actions are only a subset of a far wider number of beneficial properties intrinsic to the black seed. While it is remarkable that this seed has the ability to positively modulate so many different biological pathways, this is actually a rather common occurrence among traditional plant medicines.

Black seed has been researched for very specific health conditions. Some of the most compelling applications include:

Type 2 Diabetes: Two grams of black seed a day resulted in reduced fasting glucose, decreased insulin resistance, increased beta-cell function, and reduced glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in human subjects.[ii]
Helicobacter Pylori Infection: Black seeds possess clinically useful anti-H. pylori activity, comparable to triple eradication therapy.[iii]
Epilepsy: Black seeds were traditionally known to have anticonvulsive properties. A 2007 study with epileptic children, whose condition was refractory to conventional drug treatment, found that a water extract significantly reduced seizure activity.[iv]
High Blood pressure: The daily use of 100 and 200 mg of black seed extract, twice daily, for 2 months, was found to have a blood pressure-lowering effect in patients with mild hypertension.[v]
Asthma: Thymoquinone, one of the main active constituents within Nigella sativa (black cumin), is superior to the drug fluticasone in an animal model of asthma.[vi] Another study, this time in human subjects, found that boiled water extracts of black seed have relatively potent antiasthmatic effect on asthmatic airways.[vii]
Acute tonsillopharyngitis: characterized by tonsil or pharyngeal inflammation (i.e. sore throat), mostly viral in origin, black seed capsules (in combination with Phyllanthus niruri) have been found to significantly alleviate throat pain, and reduce the need for pain-killers, in human subjects.[viii]
Chemical Weapons Injury: A randomized, placebo-controlled human study of chemical weapons injured patients found that boiled water extracts of black seed reduced respiratory symptoms, chest wheezing, and pulmonary function test values, as well as reduced the need for drug treatment.[ix]
Colon Cancer: Cell studies have found that black seed extract compares favorably to the chemoagent 5-fluoruracil in the suppression of colon cancer growth, but with a far higher safety profile.[x] Animal research has found that black seed oil has significant inhibitory effects against colon cancer in rats, without observable side effects.[xi]
MRSA: Black seed has anti-bacterial activity against clinical isolates of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus.[xii]
Opiate Addiction/Withdrawal: A study on 35 opiate addicts found black seed as an effective therapy in long-term treatment of opioid dependence.[xiii]

Sometimes the biblical reference to 'faith the size of a mustard seed moving mountains' comes to mind in connection with natural substances like black seeds. After all, do seeds not contain within them the very hope for continuance of the entire species that bore it? This super-saturated state of the seed, where life condenses itself down into an intensely miniaturized holographic fragment of itself, promising the formation of future worlds within itself, is the very emblem of life's immense and immortal power.

If we understand the true nature of the seed, how much life (past, present and future) is contained within it, it will not seem so far-fetched that it is capable of conquering antibiotic resistant bacteria, healing the body from chemical weapons poisoning, or stimulate the regeneration of dying insulin-producing beta cells in the diabetic, to name but only a fraction of black seed's experimentally-confirmed powers.

Moving the mountain of inertia and falsity associated with the conventional concept of disease, is a task well-suited for seeds and not chemicals. The greatest difference, of course, between a seed and a patented synthetic chemical (i.e. pharmaceutical drug), is that Nature (God) made the former, and men with profit-motives and a deranged understanding of the nature of the body made the latter.

The time, no doubt, has come for food, seeds, herbs, plants, sunlight, air, clean water, and yes, love, to assume once again their central place in medicine, which is to say, the art and science of facilitating self-healing within the human body. Failing this, the conventional medical system will crumble under the growing weight of its own corruption, ineptitude, and iatrogenic suffering (and subsequent financial liability) it causes. To the degree that it reforms itself, utilizing non-patented and non-patentable natural compounds with actual healing properties, a brighter future awaits on the horizon. To the degree that it fails, folks will learn to take back control over their health themselves, which is why black seed, and other food-medicines, hold the key to self-empowerment.

[i] Domestication of plants in the Old World (3 ed.). Oxford University Press. 2000. p. 206. ISBN 0-19-850356-3.

[ii] Abdullah O Bamosa, Huda Kaatabi, Fatma M Lebdaa, Abdul-Muhssen Al Elq, Ali Al-Sultanb. Effect of Nigella sativa seeds on the glycemic control of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol. 2010 Oct-Dec;54(4):344-54. PMID: 21675032

[iii] Eyad M Salem, Talay Yar, Abdullah O Bamosa, Abdulaziz Al-Quorain, Mohamed I Yasawy, Raed M Alsulaiman, Muhammad A Randhawa. Comparative study of Nigella Sativa and triple therapy in eradication of Helicobacter Pylori in patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia. Saudi J Gastroenterol. 2010 Jul-Sep;16(3):207-14. PMID: 20616418

[iv] Javad Akhondian, Ali Parsa, Hassan Rakhshande. The effect of Nigella sativa L. (black cumin seed) on intractable pediatric seizures. Med Sci Monit. 2007 Dec;13(12):CR555-9. PMID: 18049435

[v] Farshad Roghani Dehkordi, Amir Farhad Kamkhah. Antihypertensive effect of Nigella sativa seed extract in patients with mild hypertension. Braz J Med Biol Res. 2006 Apr;39(4):421-9. Epub 2006 Apr 3. PMID: 18705755

[vi] Rana Keyhanmanesh, Mohammad Hossein Boskabady, Mohammad Javad Eslamizadeh, Saeed Khamneh, Mohammad Ali Ebrahimi. The effect of thymoquinone, the main constituent of Nigella sativa on tracheal responsiveness and white blood cell count in lung lavage of sensitized guinea pigs. J Ethnopharmacol. 2009 Oct 29;126(1):102-7. Epub 2009 Aug 8. PMID: 19711253

[vii] M H Boskabady, N Mohsenpoor, L Takaloo . Antiasthmatic effect of Nigella sativa in airways of asthmatic patients. Phytomedicine. 2010 Feb 8. Epub 2010 Feb 8. PMID: 20149611

[viii] M Dirjomuljono, I Kristyono, R R Tjandrawinata, D Nofiarny. Symptomatic treatment of acute tonsillo-pharyngitis patients with a combination of Nigella sativa and Phyllanthus niruri extract. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2008 Jun;46(6):295-306. PMID: 18541126

[ix] Mohammad H Boskabady, Javad Farhadi. The possible prophylactic effect of Nigella sativa seed aqueous extract on respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function tests on chemical war victims: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. J Altern Complement Med. 2008 Nov;14(9):1137-44. PMID: 18991514

[x] Elsayed I Salim, Shoji Fukushima. Chemopreventive potential of volatile oil from black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) seeds against rat colon carcinogenesis. Nutr Cancer. 2003;45(2):195-202. PMID: 12881014

[xi] Elsayed I Salim, Shoji Fukushima . Chemopreventive potential of volatile oil from black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) seeds against rat colon carcinogenesis. Nutr Cancer. 2003;45(2):195-202. PMID: 12881014

[xii] Abdul Hannan, Sidrah Saleem, Saadia Chaudhary, Muhammad Barkaat, Muhammad Usman Arshad. Anti bacterial activity of Nigella sativa against clinical isolates of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad. 2008 Jul-Sep;20(3):72-4. PMID: 19610522

[xiii] Sibghatullah Sangi, Shahida P Ahmed, Muhammad Aslam Channa, Muhammad Ashfaq, Shah Murad Mastoi . A new and novel treatment of opioid dependence: Nigella sativa 500 mg. J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad. 2008 Apr-Jun;20(2):118-24. PMID: 19385474

About the Author:

Sayer Ji is the founder of GreenMedInfo.com, an author, educator, Steering Committee Member of the Global GMO Free Coalition (GGFC), and an advisory board member of the National Health Federation.

He founded Greenmedinfo.com in 2008 in order to provide the world an open access, evidence-based resource supporting natural and integrative modalities. It is widely recognized as the most widely referenced health resource of its kind.