Nigella Sativa, The Miraculous Plant

The use of plants as medicines dates from the earliest years of man’s evolution. Medicinal plants serve as therapeutic alternatives, safer choices, or in some cases, as the only effective treatment. People in different cultures and places have used particular plants for to treat certain medical problems. A larger number of these plants and their extract have shown beneficial therapeutic effects, including anti-oxidant, antiinflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-microbial, and immunomodulatory effects. Among the promising medicinal plants, Nigella sativa, a dicotyledonous of the Ranunculaceae family, is an amazing herb with arich historical and religious background. Nigella sativa is found in southern Europe, northern Africa, and Asia Minor. It is a bushy, self-branching plant with white or pale to dark blue flowers. Nigella sativa reproduces with itself and forms a fruit capsule which consists of many white trigonal seeds. Once the fruit capsule has matured, it opens up and the seeds contained within are exposed to the air, becoming black in color. The seeds of Nigella sativa are the source of the active ingredients of this plant. It is the black seed referred to by the prophet Mohammed as having healing powers. Black seed is also identified as the curative black cumin in the Holy Bible and is described as the Melanthion of Hippocrates and

Discroides and as the Gith of Pliny.

Since 1959, over 200 studies at international universities and articles published in various journals have shown remarkable results supporting its traditional uses recorded almost 1400 years ago.

Amazingly nigella sativa’s chemical composition is very rich and diverse. Aside from its primary ingredient, crystalline nigellone, Black Seed contains 15 amino acids, proteins, carbohydrates, both fixed oils (84% fatty acids, including linolenic, and oleic), and volatile oils, alkaloids, saponin, and crude fiber, as well as minerals such as calcium, iron, sodium and potassium. There are still many components in Black Seed that haven’t been identified. Researchers at the Kimmel Cancer at Jefferson in Philadelphia have found that thymoquinone, an extract of nigella sativa seed oil, blocked pancreatic cancer cell growth and killed the cells by enhancing the process of programmed cell death, (apoptosis). Black Seed! and its curative virtues from the ancient knowledge base of Prophetic medicine to new scientific research. This intersection between the Prophetic knowledge base matched with the learning from scientific research surely contributes to make the Sweet Sunnah Black Seed products totally effective and unique. Black Seed (Nigella sativa) appropriately known as the “seed of blessing” is considered to be one of the greatest healing herbs of all times.

The seeds have been traditionally used in the Middle East and Southeast Asian countries to treat ailments including asthma, bronchitis, rheumatism and related inflammatory diseases, to increase milk production in nursing mothers, to promote digestion and to fight parasitic infections. Its oil has been used to treat skin conditions such as eczema and boils and to treat cold symptoms. Its many uses have earned nigella the Arabic approbation ‘Habbatul barakah’, meaning the seed of blessing.

Of course, black cumin seed is a food as well as a traditional medicine, and—as such—it appears to be both nutritious and non-toxic. Thus, for those interested in experimenting with it, there are few problems associated with consuming the seeds or oil. Nonetheless, black seed products should be avoided by pregnant women, as one of the traditional uses is to induce abortion.