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This sheet was compiled from PubMed (NIH) abstracts using AI assistance. Every factual claim is cited to a real PubMed article (see the source list). It has not yet been human-reviewed — confirm with a healthcare provider before use.
Compiled from 29 PubMed articles · model: gemma4:31b
Summary
Habbatus Sauda Oil (Nigella sativa oil) is a therapeutic herb used worldwide for its antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties [PMID:39807848]. Its primary bioactive component is thymoquinone (TQ) [PMID:39807848, PMID:33100788].
Background
Nigella sativa, also known as black cumin or black seed, is a member of the Ranunculaceae family [PMID:39807848]. The oil is extracted from the seeds via methods such as cold pressing, supercritical fluid extraction, and steam distillation [PMID:36140949].
Traditional uses
Traditionally used in South Asian, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean countries in foods and medicine [PMID:36978853]. It has been used to manage infectious diseases [PMID:42278598] and orally as galactogogues in India, Türkiye, and the Middle East [PMID:30000936].
Active compounds
The oil contains thymoquinone (TQ) as a major bioactive component [PMID:39807848, PMID:33100788], as well as terpenes, beta-elemene, and essential fatty acids including linoleic, oleic, and palmitic acids [PMID:30000936, PMID:36140949].
Mechanism of action
Mechanisms include superoxide scavenging [PMID:36978853], inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis by targeting epigenetic players such as UHRF1, DNMT1, and HDAC1 [PMID:35566130], and regulation of the antioxidant defense system, NF-κB signaling, caspase pathways, and TGF-β signaling [PMID:34445781].
Clinical evidence
Evidence AType-2 Diabetes Mellitus
Nigella sativa significantly improved laboratory parameters regarding glucose and insulin profile status in humans [PMID:31817324].
Evidence CKidney Injury
Black seed oil was shown to normalize blood and urine parameters and improve disease outcomes in advanced stages [PMID:34445781].
Evidence DAllergic Rhinitis
In a rat model, Nigella sativa oil significantly lowered the frequency of nasal scratching and prevented typical inflammatory changes [PMID:36243604].
Evidence DHepatotoxicity
In male Sprague Dawley albino rats, the oil ameliorated CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity [PMID:3183399].
Evidence DBacterial Infections (E. coli O157H7)
The oil demonstrated antibacterial activity with inhibition zone diameters ranging from 9.83 to 27.48 mm depending on concentration [PMID:42091563].
Safety & adverse effects
Black seed is generally well tolerated, though the oil can cause allergic contact dermatitis [PMID:30000936].
Pregnancy & lactation
Used as galactogogues in some regions, but no scientifically valid clinical trials support this use in humans; no data exist on the excretion of components into breastmilk or safety in infants [PMID:30000936].
Drug interactions
A single dose of black seed oil in rats decreased the maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) and area under the curve (AUC0-last) of prednisolone [PMID:37978932].
Evidence summary
Evidence ranges from high-level systematic reviews for diabetes (Level A) to preliminary in vitro and animal studies (Level D) for various organ-protective and antimicrobial effects.
PubMed sources
1.PMID: 39807848 (2025) — A Comprehensive Review of the Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Therapeutic Efficacies of Black Cumin (Nigella sativa L.) Seed Oil and Its Thymoquinone. · Journal of medicinal food
2.PMID: 30000936 (2006) — Review: Nigella sativa (Prophetic Medicine): A Review. · Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
3.PMID: 36140949 (2022) — A Narrative Review on Various Oil Extraction Methods, Encapsulation Processes, Fatty Acid Profiles, Oxidative Stability, and Medicinal Properties of Black Seed (Nigella sativa). · Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
4.PMID: 36243604 (2022) — Effects of nigella sativa oil on allergic rhinitis: an experimental animal study. · Brazilian journal of otorhinolaryngology
No direct government monograph is available for this herb. The content below is AI-generated and has not been verified against an authoritative government source. Use the search links to check official sources before relying on this information.
— Effects of Nigella Sativa on Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review.
· International journal of environmental research and public health
6.PMID: 42091563 (2026) — Nigella sativa Seed Oil Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Activity against Escherichia coli O157H7 Shiga Toxin-2. · Journal of oleo science
7.PMID: 36978853 (2023) — Antioxidant Properties of Thymoquinone, Thymohydroquinone and Black Cumin (Nigella sativa L.) Seed Oil: Scavenging of Superoxide Radical Studied Using Cyclic Voltammetry, DFT and Single Crystal X-ray Diffraction. · Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
8.PMID: 39517302 (2024) — Antioxidant Potential Evaluation at Various Stages of Black Cumin Oil Production. · Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
9.PMID: 34445781 (2021) — Protective Effects of Black Cumin (Nigella sativa) and Its Bioactive Constituent, Thymoquinone against Kidney Injury: An Aspect on Pharmacological Insights. · International journal of molecular sciences
10.PMID: 37621284 (2023) — Nigella sativa oil mitigates xerostomia and preserves salivary function in radiotherapy-treated mice. · Laryngoscope investigative otolaryngology
11.PMID: 39375628 (2024) — Nigella sativa oil attenuates inflammation and oxidative stress in experimental myocardial infarction. · BMC complementary medicine and therapies
12.PMID: 38534556 (2024) — Biohydrogen Production from Waste Black Cumin (Nigella Sativa) Extract Liquid. · Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland)
13.PMID: 42278598 (2026) — Antibacterial Activity and Molecular Docking Studies of Black Cumin (Nigella sativa L.) Oil and Its Comparison with Some Antibiotics. · International journal of molecular sciences
14.PMID: 35566130 (2022) — The Potential Role of Nigella sativa Seed Oil as Epigenetic Therapy of Cancer. · Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
15.PMID: 39494871 (2024) — Synthesis of Black Seed Oil-loaded-, Alginate-based, pH-sensitive Beads Using Electrospraying Technique. · Journal of visualized experiments : JoVE
16.PMID: 29854586 (2018) — Nigella sativa oil protects against tartrazine toxicity in male rats. · Toxicology reports
17.PMID: 26446086 (2016) — Effect of Nigella sativa oil on experimental toxoplasmosis. · Parasitology research
18.PMID: 36601514 (2022) — Thymoquinone-rich black cumin oil attenuates ibotenic acid-induced excitotoxicity through glutamate receptors in Wistar rats. · Saudi pharmaceutical journal : SPJ : the official publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society
19.PMID: 42238131 (2026) — Preliminary In Vitro Evaluation of the Growth-Inhibitory Effects of Nigella sativa Oil on Streptococcus mutans. · Cureus
20.PMID: 33100788 (2020) — Thymoquinone content in marketed black seed oil in Malaysia. · Journal of pharmacy & bioallied sciences
21.PMID: 39267937 (2024) — Inhibitory effect of Nigella sativa oil loaded to liposomal nanocarriers on Candida parapsilosis isolates. · Iranian journal of microbiology
22.PMID: 36145341 (2022) — Combined Ramipril and Black Seed Oil Dosage Forms Using Bioactive Self-Nanoemulsifying Drug Delivery Systems (BIO-SNEDDSs). · Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
23.PMID: 37978932 (2024) — In vivo assessment of black seed oil single dose on prednisolone pharmacokinetics. · The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology
24.PMID: 39807395 (2024) — Protective effects of Nigella sativa oil, thymoquinone and dexamethasone on bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis in rats. · Veterinary research forum : an international quarterly journal
25.PMID: 38379607 (2024) — Black seed oil reverses chronic antibiotic-mediated depression and social behaviour deficits via modulation of hypothalamic mitochondrial-dependent markers and insulin expression. · IBRO neuroscience reports
26.PMID: 34540882 (2021) — A Review on Extraction, Characterization, and Applications of Bioactive Peptides From Pressed Black Cumin Seed Cake. · Frontiers in nutrition
27.PMID: 30823525 (2019) — Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Nigella sativa Oil in Human Pre-Adipocytes. · Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)