Nigella Sativa or its other commonly used names black cumin and black seed is native to south Asia and has been used medicinally for centuries.
Nigella sativa can be taken in different forms such as raw seeds or extracting into oils and lotions sometimes used neat or in combination with other ingredients.
Nigella sativa has a phytochemical called Thymoquinone which is produced by the plant.
If nigella sativa is taken in Black cumin oil form it is an anti-oxidant which inhibits reactive oxygen species. Oxidative stress can cause many different diseases – cancer, brain disorders, heart problems, and more. Black cumin oil is also anti anxiety and anti depressant and the seeds seeds have shown to stabilize mood, decrease anxiety and improve cognition in adolescent human males.
If nigella sativa is taken as black cumin seed (Thymoquinone) it has anti-inflammatory properties and is good for both Th1 and Th2 dominance.
Black seed extract enhances memory, helps digestion thus helping you to lose weight. Also the seed has anti-ulcer properties against Heliobacter pylori (this bacterium can lead to chronic stomach inflammation and ulcers).
Black Cumin seed extract inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus.
Black Cumin seed was effective against clinical isolates of MRSA (methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus).
Methanolic extracts of Black Cumin seed have the strongest anti-fungal effect against Candida albicans (candida comes from an immune dificiency).
Black cumin seed is also antiviral, antiparasitic (a good therapeutic agent against Plasmodium infection in malaria), liver cancer, bladder cancer, cervical cancer, bone cancer, breast cancer, stomach cancer, protect against heart disease, helps asthma, rhinitis and breathing, anti-diabetic, natural pain killer, black seed protects the kidneys and prevents kidney stones, antiseptic, anti-epileptic and antispasmodic as well as numerous other health benefits.
I have the sativa rub for my back pain and muscle cramps, I also take 1/4 teaspoon of raw black cumin seeds each morning with some water. My wife is diabetic so she takes the black cumin seeds each day to keep her sugar levels in check and after her 3 monthly check up she noticed that her sugar levels were not a high as previous visits.
I'd recommend everybody to use this wonderful seed, more and more research is being done to see the many benefits it has.
If you have used nigella sativa I'd like to hear your experiences.