Black Seed (Nigella sativa)

Table of Contents

1. Ancient History and Traditional Use
2. Thymoquinone: The Primary Active Compound
3. Immune Modulation
4. Anti-Inflammatory Properties
5. Antioxidant Capacity
6. Respiratory Health
7. Digestive Health
8. Liver Protection and Regeneration
9. Cardiovascular Health
10. Blood Sugar Regulation and Diabetes Support
11. Cancer Research
12. Antimicrobial Properties
13. Autoimmune Support
14. Skin Health
15. Weight Management
16. Brain Health and Neuroprotection
17. Fertility Support
18. Forms and Preparations
19. How Black Seed Is Dosed
20. Cautions and Contraindications
21. Featured Videos

Ancient History and Traditional Use

Black seed holds an extraordinary place in the history of natural medicine, with a documented record of use reaching back several thousand years. Its seeds have been recovered from Bronze Age sites and, by repeated report, from the tomb of Tutankhamun; it is named in the Hebrew Bible, prescribed by the classical Greek physicians and by Avicenna, and honoured in a saying of the Prophet Muhammad as a remedy "for every disease except death." That so many independent cultures converged on the same little seed is exactly the kind of long tradition that has drawn modern researchers to study it — the fuller story is told in the dedicated History & Traditional Use article.

Thymoquinone: The Primary Active Compound

Thymoquinone (TQ) is the most pharmacologically significant compound in black seed, comprising 30 to 48 percent of the volatile oil. It is the molecule responsible for the majority of the therapeutic effects attributed to Nigella sativa.

• Chemical profile: Thymoquinone is a monoterpene diketone with potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, anticancer, hepatoprotective, and neuroprotective properties.
• Other key compounds: Thymohydroquinone, thymol, carvacrol, alpha-hederin, nigellone, and essential fatty acids (particularly linoleic acid and oleic acid) work synergistically with thymoquinone.
• Nutrient density: Black seed contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, and C, along with calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, selenium, and zinc.
• Synergistic action: The full spectrum of compounds in whole black seed and cold-pressed oil often outperforms isolated thymoquinone, suggesting the whole plant extract provides benefits beyond any single active ingredient.

Immune Modulation

Black seed is one of the most powerful natural immune modulators known. Rather than simply stimulating or suppressing immune function, it helps regulate and balance the entire immune response, making it valuable for both immune deficiency and immune overactivity.

• Increases natural killer (NK) cell activity and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte function, strengthening the body's first line of defense against infections and abnormal cells
• Enhances macrophage phagocytic activity, improving the clearance of pathogens and cellular debris
• Promotes healthy T-helper cell balance (Th1/Th2 equilibrium), which is critical for preventing allergic and autoimmune responses
• Stimulates interferon production, boosting antiviral defenses
• Increases immunoglobulin levels, supporting humoral immunity
• Supports bone marrow function and healthy white blood cell production

This dual regulatory capacity makes black seed uniquely valuable as a long-term immune tonic rather than a short-term immune stimulant.

Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Chronic inflammation is recognized as the root driver of most degenerative diseases. Thymoquinone exerts its anti-inflammatory effects through multiple well-characterized molecular pathways.

• NF-kB pathway inhibition: Thymoquinone suppresses nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB), a master transcription factor that activates genes involved in inflammation, immune dysregulation, and tumor growth. This is one of the most important anti-inflammatory mechanisms known in natural medicine.
• Inhibits cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and lipoxygenase (5-LOX) enzymes, reducing the production of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins and leukotrienes
• Reduces levels of inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1 (IL-1) beta, and interleukin-6 (IL-6)
• Suppresses inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), reducing excessive nitric oxide that contributes to tissue damage
• Clinical studies demonstrate measurable reductions in C-reactive protein (CRP) and other inflammatory markers with regular supplementation

The multi-target anti-inflammatory action of black seed distinguishes it from single-mechanism pharmaceutical drugs and may explain its broad therapeutic applicability.

Antioxidant Capacity

Black seed ranks among the most potent botanical antioxidants, offering protection against oxidative stress at the cellular and systemic levels.

• Thymoquinone acts as both a direct free radical scavenger and an inducer of endogenous antioxidant enzymes
• Upregulates superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase — the body's primary internal antioxidant defenses
• Increases total glutathione levels, the master antioxidant critical for detoxification and cellular protection
• Protects cell membranes from lipid peroxidation, preserving cellular integrity
• Shields DNA from oxidative damage, reducing mutation risk and supporting healthy aging
• Demonstrates protective effects against oxidative damage induced by heavy metals, radiation, and chemical toxins

Respiratory Health

Black seed has been used for respiratory conditions since antiquity, and modern research validates these traditional applications with impressive clinical evidence.

• Asthma: Small clinical trials have reported better lung function (FEV1), less wheeze and less inhaler use with black seed: a 2007 trial of a boiled seed extract in 29 adults (Boskabady 2007), and a 2017 trial in which FEV1 rose at 2 g a day (Salem 2017). In a 2017 randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 80 adults with asthma, black seed oil capsules (500 mg twice daily for 4 weeks, added to usual treatment) improved Asthma Control Test scores and lowered blood eosinophils; the small rise in lung function (FEV1) was not statistically significant (Koshak 2017). A 2017 review of the seven clinical studies then available found them often small and using ill-defined preparations, and judged the evidence scanty (Koshak, Koshak and Heinrich 2017). In laboratory studies, thymoquinone relaxes bronchial smooth muscle and reduces airway hyperresponsiveness.
• Allergic rhinitis: Significantly reduces nasal congestion, sneezing, itching, and runny nose in seasonal and perennial allergy sufferers, likely through mast cell stabilization and histamine reduction
• Bronchitis: Anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties help resolve both acute and chronic bronchitis, clearing mucus and reducing airway inflammation
• Sinusitis: Topical application of black seed oil and oral supplementation help reduce sinus inflammation and combat sinus infections
• General respiratory support: Acts as a bronchodilator, expectorant, and anti-inflammatory for the entire respiratory tract

Digestive Health

Traditional healers across cultures have prescribed black seed for digestive complaints, and the scientific basis for this use is well established.

• Protects the gastric mucosa and reduces stomach acid secretion, helping prevent and heal peptic ulcers
• Demonstrates significant activity against Helicobacter pylori, the bacterium responsible for most stomach ulcers
• Carminative properties reduce gas, bloating, and abdominal distension
• Antispasmodic effects relieve intestinal cramping and colic
• Supports healthy intestinal motility, beneficial for both constipation and diarrhea
• Anti-inflammatory action in the gut wall may benefit inflammatory bowel conditions
• Supports beneficial gut microbiome balance through selective antimicrobial activity

Liver Protection and Regeneration

The hepatoprotective effects of black seed are among its most well-documented therapeutic properties. The liver, as the body's primary organ of detoxification, benefits profoundly from black seed supplementation.

• Protects hepatocytes (liver cells) from damage caused by toxins, medications, alcohol, heavy metals, and viral infections
• Promotes liver cell regeneration and repair after toxic injury
• Reduces liver enzyme elevations (alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST)), indicating decreased liver inflammation and damage
• Prevents and reduces hepatic fibrosis (scarring), helping maintain healthy liver architecture
• Enhances Phase I and Phase II detoxification pathways, improving the liver's ability to process and eliminate toxins
• Increases bile production and flow, supporting fat digestion and toxin elimination
• Demonstrates protective effects against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in clinical studies

Cardiovascular Health

Black seed addresses multiple cardiovascular risk factors simultaneously, making it a valuable addition to a heart-protective protocol.

• Blood pressure: A 2016 meta-analysis of 11 randomized trials (860 people) found average falls of 3.26 mmHg systolic and 2.80 mmHg diastolic compared with control, with results varying considerably between trials; its authors describe the size of the effect as controversial, and seed powder lowered pressure more than oil (Sahebkar, Soranna and colleagues 2016). Calcium channel blocking and diuretic effects are the proposed mechanisms
• Cholesterol: A 2016 meta-analysis of 17 randomized trials found falls in total cholesterol (15.65 mg/dL on average), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (14.10 mg/dL) and triglycerides (20.64 mg/dL); protective high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol did not change overall and rose only in the trials that used seed powder (Sahebkar, Beccuti and colleagues 2016)
• Anti-atherosclerotic: Inhibits oxidation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, a critical step in arterial plaque formation
• Anti-thrombotic: Mild natural blood-thinning properties reduce the risk of dangerous blood clot formation
• Vascular protection: Improves endothelial function and arterial elasticity, supporting healthy blood flow
• Cardiac protection: Thymoquinone protects heart muscle cells from ischemic damage and oxidative injury

Blood Sugar Regulation and Diabetes Support

Black seed shows remarkable promise as a complementary approach for blood sugar management and metabolic syndrome.

• Improves fasting blood glucose levels in both pre-diabetic and type 2 diabetic individuals
• Reduces hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (glycated hemoglobin), the primary long-term marker of blood sugar control
• Enhances insulin sensitivity at the cellular level, improving glucose uptake by muscle and fat cells
• Stimulates beta-cell regeneration in the pancreas, potentially restoring the body's own insulin-producing capacity
• Reduces insulin resistance through AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway activation
• Inhibits intestinal glucose absorption, slowing the rise in blood sugar after meals
• Protects against diabetic complications including nephropathy, neuropathy, and retinopathy through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms

A 2024 meta-analysis of 30 randomized trials found that black seed significantly lowered fasting blood sugar and hemoglobin A1c, but did not significantly change fasting insulin or insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (Shirvani 2024).

Cancer Research

Thymoquinone has emerged as one of the most intensively studied natural compounds in cancer research. While black seed is not a cancer cure, the preclinical and early clinical evidence is compelling.

• Anti-proliferative: Thymoquinone inhibits cancer cell growth and division across multiple cancer types in laboratory studies, including breast, colon, pancreatic, liver, lung, cervical, prostate, and brain cancers
• Apoptosis induction: Triggers programmed cell death specifically in cancer cells while sparing normal healthy cells, a property highly sought in cancer therapeutics
• Anti-metastatic: Inhibits cancer cell migration, invasion, and the formation of new blood vessels that feed tumors (anti-angiogenesis)
• Chemosensitization: Enhances the effectiveness of conventional chemotherapy drugs while reducing their toxic side effects on healthy tissues
• Radiosensitization: May improve the effectiveness of radiation therapy against tumor cells
• Immune surveillance: By enhancing natural killer cell activity and immune function, black seed may support the body's natural ability to detect and eliminate abnormal cells

Important note: Current evidence is primarily from cell studies and animal models; it does not show black seed replacing conventional cancer treatment. During chemotherapy there is a published bleeding report: a man with colon cancer, on chemotherapy and two antiplatelet drugs and with a low platelet count, developed a large bleed under the skin (subcutaneous haematoma) after his black seed oil dose was raised to 2,000 mg a day; it cleared within 10 days once the suspected agents were stopped, and a later 1,000 mg daily dose caused no further bleeding (Arab 2026).

Antimicrobial Properties

Black seed demonstrates broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, validating centuries of traditional use for infectious conditions.

• Antibacterial: Effective against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Helicobacter pylori
• Antiviral: Demonstrates activity against several viral pathogens, with research showing potential benefit in hepatitis C, influenza, and other viral infections
• Antifungal: Strong activity against Candida albicans and other fungal organisms, making it useful for both systemic and topical fungal infections
• Antiparasitic: Traditional use against intestinal parasites is supported by research showing activity against several parasitic organisms
• Biofilm disruption: Thymoquinone can penetrate and disrupt bacterial biofilms, which are a major cause of chronic, treatment-resistant infections

Autoimmune Support

The immune-modulating properties of black seed make it particularly relevant for autoimmune conditions, where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own tissues.

• Hashimoto's thyroiditis: Clinical research has demonstrated that black seed supplementation can reduce thyroid antibody levels (anti-TPO), improve thyroid hormone levels, and decrease thyroid gland inflammation in Hashimoto's patients. Some studies reported normalization of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels and improved T3/T4 ratios. In a 2016 randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 40 people with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, 8 weeks of powdered black seed lowered thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroid antibodies (anti-TPO), raised the thyroid hormone T3, and lowered VEGF, a blood marker of new blood-vessel growth; none of these changes were seen with placebo (Farhangi 2016).
• Rheumatoid arthritis: Anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating effects reduce joint inflammation, pain, and swelling
• Th1/Th2 rebalancing: By restoring the balance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory immune pathways, black seed helps calm autoimmune overactivity without suppressing necessary immune defenses
• Regulatory T-cell support: May enhance regulatory T-cell function, which is the body's natural mechanism for preventing autoimmune attacks
• NF-kB suppression reduces the inflammatory cascade that drives tissue damage in autoimmune diseases

Skin Health

Black seed oil has been used topically and internally for skin conditions for millennia, and dermatological research confirms significant therapeutic potential.

• Eczema (atopic dermatitis): Both topical application and oral supplementation reduce itching, redness, and scaling. In a 2013 randomized trial of 60 people with hand eczema, black seed applied to the skin twice daily for 4 weeks performed about the same as the steroid cream betamethasone on eczema severity and quality of life (Yousefi 2013).
• Psoriasis: Anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects help reduce psoriatic plaque formation, scaling, and redness
• Acne: Antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties address both bacterial infection and inflammatory pathology in acne
• Wound healing: Accelerates wound closure, reduces scar formation, and provides antimicrobial protection during the healing process
• Anti-aging: Antioxidant compounds protect against ultraviolet-induced skin damage and support collagen preservation
• Vitiligo: Preliminary research suggests topical black seed oil may help restore pigmentation in some vitiligo patients

Weight Management

Black seed supplementation supports healthy weight management through multiple metabolic mechanisms.

• Reduces body weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference in clinical trials involving overweight and obese individuals
• Decreases appetite and food intake through effects on satiety hormones
• Improves insulin sensitivity, reducing the metabolic tendency to store excess calories as fat
• Enhances fat metabolism and thermogenesis, increasing the rate at which the body burns stored fat
• Reduces visceral (abdominal) fat, the most metabolically dangerous fat depot
• Lowers triglycerides and cholesterol, addressing the dyslipidemia commonly associated with excess weight
• Anti-inflammatory effects help resolve the chronic low-grade inflammation that perpetuates metabolic dysfunction and weight gain

Brain Health and Neuroprotection

Thymoquinone crosses the blood-brain barrier and exerts significant neuroprotective effects, making black seed relevant for cognitive health and neurological conditions.

• Protects neurons from oxidative stress and excitotoxicity, two primary drivers of neurodegeneration
• Reduces neuroinflammation by suppressing microglial activation and inflammatory cytokine production in brain tissue
• Enhances cholinergic function, supporting memory and cognitive performance
• Demonstrates protective effects in animal models of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and epilepsy
• Supports healthy cerebral blood flow and reduces the risk of ischemic brain injury
• May improve anxiety and depression symptoms through effects on serotonin and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmitter systems
• Protects against neurotoxic effects of heavy metals and environmental chemicals

Fertility Support

Black seed has a long history of use for reproductive health in both men and women, and modern research provides a scientific basis for these traditional applications.

• Male fertility: Improves sperm count, motility, morphology, and semen volume in clinical trials. Antioxidant protection of sperm DNA reduces fragmentation and improves fertilization potential.
• Testosterone support: May help optimize testosterone levels in men through effects on Leydig cell function and hormonal regulation
• Female reproductive health: Traditional use for menstrual regulation and fertility support. Anti-inflammatory effects may benefit conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis.
• Hormonal balance: Supports healthy estrogen metabolism and may help modulate hormonal fluctuations
• Lactation: Traditionally used as a galactagogue to support breast milk production, though more research is needed

Forms and Preparations

Black seed is available in several forms, each with particular advantages depending on the intended use.

• Whole seeds: Can be chewed directly, added to food, sprinkled on bread, or ground and mixed with honey. This is the most traditional form and provides both the oil and fiber components. Typical use is 1/2 to 1 teaspoon daily.
• Cold-pressed oil: The most popular and well-studied supplemental form. Practitioners favour organic, cold-pressed, unrefined oil in dark glass bottles. The oil preserves the full spectrum of volatile compounds including thymoquinone. Can be taken by mouth or applied topically.
• Capsules (soft gels): Convenient for those who find the taste of the oil too strong. A label that specifies cold-pressed oil and lists the thymoquinone content shows what the capsule holds.
• Standardized extract: Concentrated preparations standardized to a specific percentage of thymoquinone (commonly 1 to 5 percent). These provide a more consistent and potent dose of the active compound and are the form practitioners use for targeted therapeutic use.
• Topical preparations: Pure black seed oil or oil-based creams for skin conditions, joint pain, and wound care

Quality considerations: Practitioners favour organic, non-irradiated products. Egyptian and Ethiopian black seeds are generally considered the highest quality. Cold-pressing is essential as heat extraction destroys thymoquinone and other volatile compounds.

How Black Seed Is Dosed

Dosages vary depending on the form and the condition being addressed. The amounts below are those commonly used in practice and in clinical research.

• Cold-pressed oil: 1 to 3 teaspoons daily (5 to 15 mL; a teaspoon is 5 mL under US food-labelling rules), usually taken with food, which practitioners describe as improving absorption and reducing digestive discomfort. Common practice starts with 1 teaspoon and increases gradually.
• Whole seeds: 1/2 to 1 teaspoon daily, chewed thoroughly or ground and mixed with honey
• Capsules: 500 mg to 2,000 mg of black seed oil daily, divided into two doses
• Standardized extract: Dosed by the product's stated thymoquinone concentration, as given on its label
• Topical use: A thin layer of pure oil on the affected area two to three times daily is the common practice; severe skin reactions to the oil are reported (see Cautions)

Common practice: Practitioners describe taking it consistently for 8 to 12 weeks before judging the effect, and some people take it long-term as a health-maintenance supplement. Mixing the oil with honey or taking it with warm water and lemon can improve palatability.

Cautions and Contraindications

Black seed is widely eaten as a spice. The points below are the medicines, conditions and situations where published reports and the plant's known effects raise concerns.

• Blood thinners: Black seed has mild anticoagulant and antiplatelet properties. In laboratory work, thymoquinone (its main active compound) blocked the liver enzyme CYP2C9 that breaks down warfarin, and the authors predicted that more than about 1 g a day of seed or oil could change warfarin levels (Wang 2022). A 2026 case report describes a large bleed under the skin in a man taking two antiplatelet drugs and chemotherapy after his oil dose was raised to 2,000 mg a day (Arab 2026). The medicines concerned are warfarin, heparin, aspirin, clopidogrel and other blood thinners.
• Blood pressure medications: Because black seed can lower blood pressure, concurrent use with antihypertensive drugs may cause blood pressure to drop too low; dizziness or light-headedness on standing is the usual sign.
• Pregnancy: High doses may stimulate uterine contractions, and there is no good safety data on supplement doses in pregnancy. Small culinary amounts used in cooking are generally considered safe.
• Surgery: Its blood-thinning and blood-pressure-lowering effects are the reason practitioners stop black seed supplements at least two weeks before scheduled surgery; a 2020 case report describes a severe platelet drop after surgery in a woman who had been taking black seed oil (see below).
• Diabetes medications: Black seed can lower blood sugar, so combining with insulin or oral hypoglycemic drugs may increase the risk of low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia), whose signs are shakiness, sweating, sudden hunger and confusion.
• Immunosuppressant drugs: Because black seed modulates immune function, the research raises a theoretical concern for people taking immunosuppressive medications after an organ transplant or for autoimmune conditions.
• Liver and kidney disease: Black seed is described as liver-protective at normal doses, but a 2013 case report describes acute kidney failure linked to black seed in a person with diabetes (Arslan 2013). The concern is greatest for people who already have severe liver or kidney disease.
• Children: Practitioners scale doses down by body weight, and describe black seed as generally safe for children over age 2 at those doses.

Side effects reported. The usual ones are mild digestive upset, nausea, and skin rash (contact dermatitis) where the oil is applied. Severe reactions are also published: three women with severe contact dermatitis from the oil, with fever and skin detaching over more than 15% of the body, resembling Stevens-Johnson syndrome (Gaudin 2018); a whole-body drug reaction (DRESS syndrome) after the oil was used on the skin (Fargeas 2022); acute kidney failure (Arslan 2013); and a severe fall in platelets, from 410,000 to 31,000 per microlitre, in a woman who had been taking black seed oil with evening primrose oil (Wang 2020). Practitioners start with a low dose and increase gradually.

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Key Research Papers

The studies quoted on this page are listed with their PubMed record numbers; the remaining entries are topic-level PubMed search links covering the main evidence streams for Black Seed (Nigella sativa).

1. Nigella sativa for blood pressure reduction. — PubMed PMID: 41553727
2. Thymoquinone: anti-inflammatory and antioxidant pharmacology. — PubMed: thymoquinone anti-inflammatory
3. Nigella sativa in bronchial asthma trials. — PubMed: Nigella sativa asthma
4. Black seed and glycemic control in type 2 diabetes. — PubMed: Nigella sativa diabetes HbA1c
5. Effects of Nigella sativa on lipid profile. — PubMed: Nigella sativa lipid cholesterol
6. Nigella sativa in rheumatoid arthritis. — PubMed PMID: 34684370
7. Preclinical antitumor activity of thymoquinone. — PubMed: thymoquinone cancer apoptosis
8. Black seed oil in allergic rhinitis. — PubMed: Nigella sativa allergic rhinitis
9. Antimicrobial activity of Nigella sativa. — PubMed: Nigella sativa antimicrobial
10. Immunomodulatory effects of black seed. — PubMed: Nigella sativa immune modulation
11. Hepatoprotective effects of Nigella sativa. — PubMed PMID: 42576579
12. Safety and tolerability of Nigella sativa: review. — PubMed: Nigella sativa safety review
13. Shirvani S, Falahatzadeh M, Oveili E, Jamali M, Pam P, Parang M, Shakarami M. The effect of Nigella sativa supplementation on glycemic status in adults: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Prostaglandins Other Lipid Mediat. 2024;174:106885. PubMed PMID: 39181437
14. Sahebkar A, Beccuti G, Simental-Mendía LE, Nobili V, Bo S. Nigella sativa (black seed) effects on plasma lipid concentrations in humans: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials. Pharmacol Res. 2016;106:37-50. PubMed PMID: 26875640
15. Sahebkar A, Soranna D, Liu X, Thomopoulos C, Simental-Mendia LE, Derosa G, Maffioli P, Parati G. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials investigating the effects of supplementation with Nigella sativa (black seed) on blood pressure. J Hypertens. 2016;34(11):2127-35. PubMed PMID: 27512971
16. Koshak A, Wei L, Koshak E, Wali S, Alamoudi O, Demerdash A, Qutub M, Pushparaj PN, Heinrich M. Nigella sativa Supplementation Improves Asthma Control and Biomarkers: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Phytother Res. 2017;31(3):403-409. PubMed PMID: 28093815
17. Koshak A, Koshak E, Heinrich M. Medicinal benefits of Nigella sativa in bronchial asthma: A literature review. Saudi Pharm J. 2017;25(8):1130-1136. PubMed PMID: 30166900
18. Yousefi M, Barikbin B, Kamalinejad M, Abolhasani E, Ebadi A, Younespour S, Manouchehrian M, Hejazi S. Comparison of therapeutic effect of topical Nigella with Betamethasone and Eucerin in hand eczema. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2013;27(12):1498-504. PubMed PMID: 23198836
19. Farhangi MA, Dehghan P, Tajmiri S, Abbasi MM. The effects of Nigella sativa on thyroid function, serum Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) - 1, Nesfatin-1 and anthropometric features in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2016;16(1):471. PubMed PMID: 27852303
20. Wang Z, Wang Z, Wang X, Lv X, Yin H, Jiang L, Xia Y, Li W, Li W, Liu Y. Potential food-drug interaction risk of thymoquinone with warfarin. Chem Biol Interact. 2022;365:110070. PubMed PMID: 35921950
21. Arab A, Ramezaninejad S, Salehifar E. Extensive Subcutaneous Hematoma in a Patient Receiving Nigella sativa Oil, Dual Antiplatelet Therapy, and Oxaliplatin-Based Chemotherapy: A Case Report. Hosp Pharm. 2026. PubMed PMID: 42682876
22. Gaudin O, Toukal F, Hua C, Ortonne N, Assier H, Jannic A, Giménez-Arnau E, Wolkenstein P, Chosidow O, Ingen-Housz-Oro S. Association Between Severe Acute Contact Dermatitis Due to Nigella sativa Oil and Epidermal Apoptosis. JAMA Dermatol. 2018;154(9):1062-1065. PubMed PMID: 30073256
23. Fargeas M, Calugareanu A, Ben-Said B. Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome after topical use of Nigella sativa (black cumin) oil. Contact Dermatitis. 2022;87(2):203-204. PubMed PMID: 35419842
24. Arslan E, Sayin S, Demirbas S, Cakar M, Somak NG, Yesilkaya S, Saglam K. A case study report of acute renal failure associated with Nigella sativa in a diabetic patient. J Integr Med. 2013;11(1):64-6. PubMed PMID: 23464648
25. Wang X, Jiang A, Batra V. Severe Thrombocytopenia Associated With Black Seed Oil and Evening Primrose Oil. Cureus. 2020;12(6):e8390. PubMed PMID: 32637272
26. Boskabady MH, Javan H, Sajady M, Rakhshandeh H. The possible prophylactic effect of Nigella sativa seed extract in asthmatic patients. Fundam Clin Pharmacol. 2007;21(5):559-566. PubMed PMID: 17868210
27. Salem AM, Bamosa AO, Qutub HO, Gupta RK, Badar A, Elnour A, Afzal MN. Effect of Nigella sativa supplementation on lung function and inflammatory mediators in partly controlled asthma: a randomized controlled trial. Ann Saudi Med. 2017;37(1):64-71. PubMed PMID: 28151459

External Authoritative Resources

1. NCCIH — Herbs at a Glance
2. MedlinePlus — Herbs and Supplements
3. PubMed — All research on Nigella sativa

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