If you’re looking for a natural approach to fight cancer, then you might want to consider looking into black cumin seed. This herbal remedy has been seen to not only fight cancer, but to also slow down the growth of cancerous tumors. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
There’s an array of benefits of using black cumin seed oil. We got you covered breaking down all of black cumin seed oil’s health benefits. Read more to see if black cumin seed oil is right for you.
What Is Black Cumin Seed Oil?
Black cumin seed oil (also known as black seed oil) dates back to traditional Middle Eastern and Asian medicine. Back then, this oil was used as a cure-all. There was even a saying that this sacred oil could cure everything but death.
Traditionally this oil was used to heal ailments ranging from respiratory problems to infections to muscle pain to digestion issues. Black seed oil is the oil from black cumin (also known as Nigella sativa) seeds. This plant is native to southwest Asia. It is also referred to as black cumin seed oil, kalonji oil, or nigella sativa oil.
Recently, the science world has been giving black seed oil more attention due to its ability to fight cancer. Black cumin seed oil has been shown to not only fight cancer, but to also protect healthy blood cells and prevent them from turning into cancerous cells.
Black cumin seed can be used in cooking either in the form of a cooking oil or in seed form as a spice. It has a slightly bitter taste. You might find these seeds as a flavor or spice in Middle Eastern and Indian dishes.
Outside of the kitchen, this oil has a ton of health benefits. These health benefits come from thymoquinone, a compound that has antioxidant capabilities that’s found in black cumin seeds. This compound is what makes the oil able to remedy everything from headaches and allergies to rheumatoid arthritis and digestive disorders.
The thymoquinone in black cumin seed oil also boosts the immune system so it can be used to fight infections and reduce inflammation. Because of this, this oil can also be used for skin and hair issues like acne, hair growth, dry skin and hair, and even psoriasis.
Black Cumin Seed Oil Prevents Cancer Growth and Tumors
A 2010 study published in Oncology Letters found that when rats were given doses of crude extra virgin black cumin seed oil twice a day, the growth of cancer tumors stopped.
This study found that black cumin seed oil has the potential to be chemopreventative. This means the oil can be used to potentially prevent cancer.
It has also been shown that black cumin seed oil can destroy cancer cells while still protecting healthy cells. This is possible because black cumin seed oil contains thymoquinone, which works similarly to a cancer treatment.
There was another study done on humans that compared thymoquinone and chemotherapy. It was found that chemotherapy had several side effects like cardiovascular damage. Black seed cumin oil, on the other hand, reduced tumors without any side effects.
Suppresses Tumor Growth
A 2007 study from the Brazil Journal of Medical and Biological Research, found that growth cancerous tumors was suppressed when black seed oil was injected directly into the tumors.
At the end of this study, it was found that the control group had tumors that were 2.5 centimeters in size while the treated rats had tumors only two-tenths of a centimeter. This proved that black seed oil can suppress the growth of cancerous tumors in rats. Hopefully similar results can be obtained in humans.
Thymoquinone Is a Potential Cancer Therapy Drug
Thymoquinone is the compound in black cumin seed oil that gives it its cancer-fighting properties. A 2008 study published in Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, found that when a low dose of thymoquinone was injected into a human’s prostate tumor cells on a petri dish, the growth of the tumor cells stopped without any toxic side effects.
Since the tumor stopped growing in size, scientists concluded that thymoquinone can stop the growth of tumors in humans. This means that thymoquinone could be a successful drug for cancer therapy.
Protects the Brain, Memory, and Nerves
A big drawback when it comes to other cancer treatments is that they’re usually toxic. This usually means while a chemical treatment might help fight cancer, the rest of your body suffers. Think about a patient undergoing chemotherapy who loses their hair and is always nauseous.
In addition to fighting cancer, black cumin seed oil has many beneficial side effects, specifically ones that protect brain cells from damage. In a study on animals, thymoquinone from black cumin seed oil was shown to:
- Reduce seizures
- Help brain injury
- Improve learning capabilities and memory
- Reduce inflammation in the brain
Other studies have shown that black cumin seed oil may help prevent potential brain damage in cases of strokes. It can also lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. This is because the oil can help stop the growth of plaques in the brain that can block neural signals.
There was even a nine-week study where volunteers took black cumin seed oil, while another took a placebo. The group that took the black cumin seed oil did better on tests for attention, memory, and recall, and saw anxiety reduced.
Fights Bacterial Infections
Black cumin seed oil has both antibacterial and antifungal effects. Black cumin seed oil has been shown to fight against a wide range of bacteria including even Staphylococcus aureus (which is what causes staph infections), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacteria that usually affects people with a weakened immune system recovering from surgery.
Black Seed Oil Fights Inflammatory Conditions
Thymoquinone in black seed oil fights inflammation by stopping inflammatory makers such as 5-lipooxygenase (5-LOX) and 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5-HETE). Both of these compounds can cause allergic reactions or trigger asthma attacks.
There was a study done with asthma patients where some used black seed oil and others used a prescription drug. The effects of both black seed oil and prescription asthma drugs were similar, but the black seed had more of a moderate result and didn’t cause any side effects. So if you have mild asthma or mild allergies, black seed oil might be right for you.
Relieves Pain
Black seed oil can alleviate the feeling of pain, and not just by blocking pain receptors. It also prevents other inflammation pathways the body has. This is perfect for cancer patients suffering from pain or discomfort.
There was a study that found it reduced the amount if inflammatory makers for subjects that had rheumatoid arthritis. At the same time, it boosted levels of IL-10, an anti-inflammatory cytokine. So researchers concluded that black seed oil could be an effective natural medicine that can help treat the pain associated with arthritis.
Protects the Stomach and Digestive System
Since black seed oil can fight inflammation which means it also can protect the digestive system. Most stomach issues, like Crohn’s Disease or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), are due to inflammation. Some have found that black seed oil can help alleviate the discomfort associated with diseases like IBS, cancer, and cancer treatments.
There was a study that found thymoquinone from black seed oil reduced the acid secretion in the stomach while protecting the mucosal lining of the intestines.
Black Seed Oil Is an Antidiabetic, Too
With diabetes type 2 cases multiplying, there is now more of a need for natural remedies to help normalize blood sugar. Some type 2 diabetes patients have found that taking black seed oil with their diabetes medications helped alleviate symptoms.
In a three-month study where people took black seed oil with their current diabetes medication, they saw a huge reduction in fasting blood glucose, A1C levels, and postprandial blood glucose compared to the baseline levels in this study.
Researchers also saw that there were no effects to the kidneys or liver with this study, so black seed oil is not only an effective herbal extract, it’s also very safe.
Is Black Cumin Seed Oil Right For You?
If you’re fighting cancer, arthritis, stomach issues, diabetes, or acne, black cumin seed oil might be the answer to your pain. After all, there is a saying that black cumin seed could cure everything but death, so isn’t it worth a try?
Be sure to consult your doctor before taking black seed oil. In most cases, black seed oil is taken along with your medication. You should never stop taking a prescribed medication without talking with your doctor.
Like any herbal remedy, your best bet is to try it gradually. It seems like there are no side effects, so what do you have to lose?
For more information on black cumin seed including how it tastes, how it can be dosed, and how you can use it on your skin, be sure to check out our blog.