Recent studies have confirmed that black cumin seed oil (nigella sativa) can inhibit cancer cell activity and is an effective cancer treatment, at least in animal studies. The black cumin seed oil and its extract (thymoquinone) are a powerful weapon against liver cancer, melanoma, pancreatic cancer, cervical cancer, breast cancer, bone cancer, stomach cancer, lymphoma, prostate cancer, colon cancer and brain cancer.
Besides decades of black cumin oil research, scientists have not yet made any advances in human clinical tests, even with almost no risk of side effects.
As we can conclude from some studies, black seed oil is an efficient way of treatment for many types of cancer. However, it is still doesn’t get enough recognition from modern medicine. This article will try to examine the political pressures that might be holding back tests on humans, and will also try to learn why the drug industry wishes to subdue the use of black seed oil.
This oil has been used as cancer treatment for millennia
Two separate studies in 2011 (Chinese and Saudi Arabian), were reviewing the literature on the use of black cumin seed oil as cancer treatment. They found out that the oil has been used for centuries as a traditional cancer remedy, and confirmed its anti-cancer properties. The oil and its extract are effective in the treatment of many diseases, including various types of cancer, cardiovascular issues, diabetes, asthma, kidney disease and many more.
The scientist also noted that the exact mechanism behind its anti-cancer properties is still not completely understood. Some studies suggest that the thymoquinone has an antioxidant role and reinforces the immune system. What we know for sure is that the black cumin seed oil induces apoptosis in cancer cells, without compromising the immunity. It controls the Akt pathway as well, meaning that it has control over the cell survival of all cells in the body, healthy and cancerous. Although nigella sativa’s power is known for thousands of years, modern medicine has recognized it only recently, in the last two to three decades.
Traditional medicine is right – black cumin seed and honey work together
Egyptian scientists have been studying the effect of honey and black cumin seed oil on oxidative stress and cancer by exposing rats to a strong carcinogen. Four groups in total were exposed to the carcinogen – some groups were then fed black seeds or honey, and only one group was fed with both ingredients combined. After 6 months, the rats were evaluated – the ones that ate only black cumin seeds had 80% protection against oxidative stress and cancer formation, but the group that was fed black cumin seeds and honey had 100% protection against oxidative stress, cancer formation and inflammatory responses.
Black seeds oil is great for radiation treatment
A 2014 Turkish study researched how the oil can help to people on radiation treatment for cancer. They learned that many of these patients experience severe side effects during and after the treatment. The study explored the effects of the oil on irradiated rats. The rats were first exposed to a single dose of gamma radiation. One group was given a gram of the oil an hour before radiation and received a 10 gr. dose for the next 10 days. The other group was given a saline solution. The control group was not irradiated. When the data was analyzed, it showed that black cumin seed oil reduces the oxidative stress markers and has potent antioxidant effects, augmenting the antioxidant capacity in the liver tissues of rats. So, administering the oil before radiation and for 10 days afterwards protected the rodents from the harmful radiation effects.
In 2012, an Indian study explored the effects of the oil on mice exposed to gamma radiation. For the test, a group of normal and a group of tumor bearing mice were researched. The mice were given black seed extract before the radiation (100 mg. per 1 kg. of body weight). The black seed oil protected the spleen, liver, brain and intestines from the harmful effects of the radiation in both groups. This confirmed the protective effects of black cumin seed oil against radiation damage and biochemical alterations. The effect was due to the antioxidant properties of the seeds and their ability to hunt free radicals. This way, the black cumin seed extract can be used on human cancer patients who are receiving cancer radiation therapy, to subdue the harmful side effects, protect against oxidative stress in the normal issues, and essentially improve the life of the patients.
The Black seeds interfere with uncontrolled cell growth and kill liver cancer cells
In 2013, a study in India explored the effects of thymoquinone in two groups of rats. One group was given 0.01% thymoquinone water to drink, while the other was given plain water. After 16 weeks, the liver cancer nodules, injury markers and tumor markers were measured – they showed significant decrease in the size of the tumor markers in the group that drank water with thymoquinone. They did not develop new cancer nodules as well. This confirmed the thymoquinone’s beneficial role in treatment of liver cancer, and its strong ability to prevent proliferation of cancer cells.
A 2012 Egyptian study explored the anti-tumor effects of the combination of bee honey and black cumin seed oil on human liver cancer cells in laboratory experiments. The antioxidant capacity of both the honey and oil was examined, as well as their abilities to eliminate cancerous cells. The results showed that both ingredients were efficient in reducing the viability of cancer cells, and improved the antioxidant status of cells besides inducing apoptosis.
The black seed oil kills lung cells
Saudi Arabian scientists stated in 2014 that black seeds have been used in traditional medicine to treat various diseases for a long time. Their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties are well-known. They conducted a study which investigated the anti-cancer activity of the oil and black seed extract used against human lung cancer cells in a laboratory. The cancer cells were exposed to 0.01 mg/ml of the oil and 1mg/ml of the extract, with the cells’ viability evaluated afterwards. The results showed that both the extract and the oil considerably reduced the population of the living cancer cells and changed their cellular morphology. They also concluded that the level of cell death increased with the greater concentration of the oil or extract. The cells lost their typical appearance and became smaller in size as well.
Black Seed Components Kill Malignant Brain Cancer Cells
In 2013, scientists at the Ohio State University published a study that suggested that glioblastoma is the most aggressive and most common type of malignant brain tumor in humans. They concluded that there was a need for additional therapies for treatment of this type of brain tumor. As natural phytochemicals possess strong tumor killing abilities, the study focused on thymoquinone. It has selective cytotoxic properties for human cells, meaning that it kills the cancer cells and leaves the normal ones untouched.
The study also explored thymoquinone’s ability to selectively inhibit the cancer cells of the brain and spinal cord to make clones of themselves, while not hampering the normal cell activity in the brain and spinal cord. The black seed extract can also inhibit autophagy genes in cancer cells. Autophagy in cancer cells enables the continued growth in cancer cells by keeping the cellular energy production. When inhibited, the energy production will suffer too, resulting in tumor regression and extending the survival of the tumor affected organs. This means that thymoquinone provides a new exciting strategy for cancer treatment.
