Does it work? Can Nigella seeds help with asthma?

DÓNAL O’MATHÚNA

Tue, May 03, 2011

BACKGROUND: Most cultures have used the herbs available in their locale for medicinal purposes. While herbs from regions such as the Amazon or systems such as traditional Chinese medicine are well known in the West, those of Arabic medicine have received less attention – with the notable exception of the opium poppy. Yet the region around the Middle East has been the cradle of much medical innovation, from Hippocrates to the medieval Arabic physician Avicenna, and the Jewish physician, Maimonides. Arabic medicine took a scientific approach to herbs, examining hundreds of plants and developing long-respected pharmaceutical knowledge.

As with any region undergoing change and turmoil, knowledge of indigenous herbal remedies is threatened. Almost one-third of the native species in some regions of the Middle East are now endangered. To compensate for such losses, and develop local economies, some regions are seeking to cultivate and conduct research on herbs with medicinal potential.

One such herb is Nigella sativa , a small flowering plant with a fruit packed with small black seeds. These are sometimes called blackseed, black cumin or black caraway, although these names are also given to other spices. Their Arabic name literally means “seed of blessing” because of the wide array of health benefits ascribed to the seeds and their oil. Both Jewish and Muslim prophets refer to Nigella, with Mohammed reported to have described the seeds as a remedy for “every illness except death”. They are widely used as a nutritious food and to treat inflammatory diseases such as asthma, psoriasis and rheumatism.

EVIDENCE FROM STUDIES

Extensive investigations have been conducted on Nigella seeds and their oil. They contain many nutrients, including polyunsaturated fatty acids, B vitamins, vitamin E, minerals and amino acids. Administering the oil to animals led to improved blood lipid profiles, most likely due to its fatty acids. The seeds and oil also have high antioxidant activity, which may contribute to protection against some illnesses. Other laboratory studies have shown that the seeds and purified components have anti-inflammatory effects.

While such research supports the general nutritional value of Nigella seeds, and helps identify their active ingredients, few studies have examined their specific impact on human health and asthma in particular. Nigella seeds received quite a bit of publicity in 2007 when a study of 29 asthma patients was published. The adults were randomly assigned to either Nigella seed oil or a placebo. The asthmatic symptoms of those taking the Nigella oil had significantly improved after one, two and three months.

While some hailed the oil as a cure for asthma, further studies with much larger numbers of patients are needed to verify these results. Similarly positive results were obtained in another study by the same Iranian researchers last year. However, this study involved only 15 asthma patients.

In other areas, a study with healthy volunteers found that consuming 1g of Nigella seeds twice daily had a positive impact on the immune system. This may be helpful in warding off illnesses. Another study with about 100 healthy adults found that those taking a Nigella seed extract for eight weeks had their blood pressure lowered by 2mmHg more than the control group. However, this is a relatively small reduction which would need to be monitored over a longer period of time.

PROBLEMATIC ASPECTS

The clinical studies to date did not report adverse effects. In general usage, allergic reactions have occurred to Nigella seeds. Some animal research raised questions about potential liver problems, but these have not been reported in humans.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Nigella seeds and oil are highly nutritious and have a long tradition of medicinal use. Few controlled studies in humans have been conducted, but their results are encouraging. Much further research with more patients is needed before some of the claims being made about the seeds can be accepted. The seeds and oil can be recommended as a source of essential fatty acids and vitamins, but whether they effectively prevent or treat any specific disease remains to be seen.

Dónal O’Mathúna has a PhD in pharmacy, researching herbal remedies, and an MA in bioethics, and is a senior lecturer in the school of nursing, Dublin City University

© 2011 The Irish Times

Black is Cumin Back – Black Seed Oil

For a little while there’s been some buzz around the complementary therapy world about a product, that admittedly is an old timer, but stardom has been slow to come its way. The rising celebrity is Black Seed Oil. It first made its debut around the time of Tutankhamen, had a mention in the Bible, and the Prophet Mohammed declared that “Black cumin heals every disease except for death”. Certainly praise indeed. Is it the very complex chemical structure of the seeds of Black cumin, Nigella sativa, having some one hundred different constituents that is the key to its success, just like St John’s wort and Ginkgo that also have incredibly complicated structures? Now, may I just say, at this point, I could delve into the intricacies of the constituents of the oil and bore every one, except you budding bio chemists out there. So you guys can “Google it”. For the rest of us let’s skip that and get to the bottom line – what does it do, and is it safe? The oil doesn’t lack clinical trials, in fact in the past forty years some two hundred studies have been conducted. The result? A panacea; which is perhaps why stardom has been slow in coming. Society is sceptical of “natural remedies for all ailments”, sadly myself included. However, what is of particular interest are the claims that it is an “immunomodulator” – regulating immune function. The results are encouraging in relation to asthma, bronchial asthma, and bronchitis, and in allergies such as atopic eczema, as well as for digestive upsets, circulatory system disorders and yes- even in the urinary system. The lymphatic system doesn’t escape either, because the oil has a purifying effect as it passes through.

The most abundant substance within Black seed oil, is Thymoquinone or TQ for short, and research has shown it to inhibit new or abnormal growths and uncontrolled cell division found in certain cancers, such as colon cancer. Even the investigation into the protective role of Black seed oil in breast cancer appears to be encouraging. The evidence suggested that most illnesses have a direct link to an imbalanced immune system that when compromised cannot function adequately in defending the body. Also if there is an increased production of immune cells, bone-marrow cells, and B-cells the prime function of the immune system is restored. Black seed oil stimulates and modulates components within the immune system, so if we consider auto-immune diseases such as psoriasis or rheumatoid arthritis, can we hope that order may be restored by this potentially remarkable oil? It appears so.

Sometimes known as “love in the mist”, Black seed oil can be taken internally, and externally on skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema or acne or rubbed onto the chest to ease respiratory infections. Taken over a period of time (and we are looking at months), hair and nails have shown to strengthen and have more lustre.

By the way, I think I should just mention that there is a down side to this oil. The taste – it’s not so good. You do need to hide it, either in your morning porridge, muesli or yogurt; even in smoothies.

The potential use of this oil does appear to be noteworthy and the clinical trials are promising. I don’t know about you, but for me the burning question is why oh why isn’t the research world camping out in their laboratories, hot flasks of tea on standby, verifying the finding of past and existing studies? Is this another gift from nature that needs to be put in the realms of stardom along with the hailed super- herbs like Ginkgo and St John’s wort? Time will tell.

Vitamins and Minerals in Black Seed Oil Vitamin A (Retinol) Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, Biotin, Folic Acid Vit C, D3, Vit E, calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium Selenium, zinc. Amino acids – aspartic acid, threonine, Serine, glutamic acid, praline, glycine, alanine, valine, methionine, isoleucine, leucine, tyrosine, phenylalnine, histidine and lysine.