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Nigella sativa

Black cumin

Generally recognised as safe

Other names: Black seed

Nigella seeds widely in Maghreb cookery.

Annual with dissected leaves and involucral bracts around flowers.

Family
Ranunculaceae
Plant type
Annual herb
What the safety levels mean (expand legend)
  • Generally recognised as safe. Often a common herb with reasonable harvest and use; still read the specific warnings on the card.
  • Information. Primarily informational — details in the text and warnings below matter most.
  • Caution. Needs extra care (dose, duration, sensitive groups, interactions).
  • Risky. Significant risks — verify sources, contraindications and professional guidance.
  • Not for home experimentation. Not suitable to experiment with at home without knowledge and certainty.
  • High risk for internal use. Particular risk with internal use (e.g. alkaloids); avoid prolonged or irresponsible dosing.
  • Not specified. Level not filled in yet — rely on individual warnings and links below.
Black cumin — plant habitus (Wikimedia Commons).

Photograph on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Plant habit

Quick overview

A practical summary; details are in the sections below.

Safety grade
Generally recognised as safe details
Scientific sources on the card
Yes — sources are listed with claims Science section
When and what to harvest
  • Fruit — July–September
Full harvest section
Processing methods

Honey macerate, Culinary use, Herbal oil

All methods and recipes on the card
Topics and symptoms

Digestion, Metabolism - gentle support

Topics section, Symptoms overview

Identification and mix-ups

Characteristic bracts around the flower.

Possible mix-ups and risks

Related nigellas by seed and habit.

Similar herbs

No related herbs are linked yet.

Topics and symptoms

More topics are in the symptoms and topics overview.

Geographic occurrence

  • Morocco

    Common (expected wild occurrence in the region)

Harvest

  • FruitJuly–September

    léto

    Region: Morocco

    Notes: Seeds are harvested when the capsules brown and start to split, usually in late summer; plants are cut, finished drying in bundles and threshed. The seeds are dull black and angular and smell of oregano and pepper when crushed.

Storage

  • Airtight storage(Fruit)

    Whole seeds keep 2–3 years in a closed container; ground seed loses aroma within months. Pressed oil keeps 6–12 months in a dark bottle in the cold.

    Light:
    Keep the oil out of light.
    Moisture:
    Keep the seeds dry.

Processing methods on this herb card

  • Honey macerate(Fruit)Suitability: High suitability

    Macerating plant material in honey (a honey conserve).

    Full method description (from the catalogue)

    Honey as a maceration medium creates a viscous mixture with its own biochemistry: water activity, acidity, and enzymes influence shelf life and flavour. Traditionally it is used with delicate flowers or herbs when you want aroma bound into honey.

    Infant botulism guidance for honey and honey safety in general sit outside a single herb page; maceration time, ratios, and storage must follow a vetted recipe and source, not this general overview alone.

    Traditional context for this method: yes·Scientific context for this method: no

    Honey with crushed black seed

    About 10 minBeginnerScience profile

    Open recipe →

  • Culinary use(Fruit)Suitability: High suitability

    Cooking, baking, seasoning as food — general category without therapeutic claims.

    Full method description (from the catalogue)

    Culinary use covers herbs as ingredients in dishes, drinks, or spice mixes. This overview does not evaluate medicinal effects — only reminds you about species intent, allergies, and heat treatment where needed (e.g. some fruits or plant parts).

    Combining with alcohol, sugar, or long cooking changes outcomes; verify culinary sources.

    Traditional context for this method: yes·Scientific context for this method: no

  • Herbal oil(Fruit)Suitability: Medium suitability

    Macerating herbs in a vegetable oil (cold or with gentle heat).

    Full method description (from the catalogue)

    Herbal oil is made by steeping dried or fresh material in oil (e.g. olive, sunflower) over time, sometimes with gentle warming. The result is not steam-distilled essential oil — it is a different extract type and usage (often topical or culinary per recipe).

    Temperature, light, and material moisture affect shelf life; rancid oil must be discarded.

    Traditional context for this method: yes·Scientific context for this method: yes

    Pressed seed oil is a concentrate; the clinical trials with it are small and doses vary.

Traditional / spiritual use

Kept separate from science — entries are cultural or symbolic, not medical advice.

  • Habbat al-barakah — the seed of blessing

    Symbolism

    Historical mentionFolk remediesHerbal loreMythology

    In Islamic tradition black seed holds a special place: a hadith recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari attributes to the Prophet the saying that 'the black seed is a cure for every disease except death'. Hence the Arabic name habbat al-barakah, seed of blessing, and the presence of black seed in household medicine from Morocco to India; seeds were also found in Tutankhamun's tomb. A historical and religious record, not evidence of effect.

    Form:
    „semeno požehnání“ v islámské tradici
    Claim strength:
    Historical mention
    Source note:
    Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Medicine (the hadith on the black seed); archaeology of ancient Egypt.

Scientific notes

Each claim lists a study type and a source (URL or DOI) where available. Dose notes from the literature are informational only.

How to read evidence strength and study type labels

Labels summarise how the catalogue entry is tagged — they are not a medical verdict on efficacy. For every row, read the summary, limitations and source link.

Evidence strength

Evidence level not specified
The author did not grade the record; judge from the summary, limitations and source link.
Narrative / orientational literature
Descriptive or expert literature without controlled group comparison — context rather than proof of effect.
Weak evidence
Study or conclusion with major methodological limits; treat only as a pointer for further reading.
Preliminary findings
First or smaller studies — interesting direction, not the final word on efficacy or safety.
Moderate strength of evidence
Moderate strength by study design; sample and context limits still apply.
Stronger evidence
Stronger design or consistency of results within the study's stated limits.
Review article
A review summarises multiple sources; quality depends on review method and field.

Study type

Narrative / expert text
Expert text or overview without a classical study design.
In vitro study
Cell culture or test-tube experiment — does not show an effect in the body.
Animal study
Animal model — transfer to humans is not automatic.
Observational study
Observing groups without random treatment assignment; confounding is possible.
Clinical trial
Human clinical trial; sample size and control group matter.
Randomised controlled trial
Randomised controlled trials are among the stronger designs when well conducted.
Review study
A review aggregates multiple papers — quality depends on selection rules.
Systematic review
Systematic review with explicit search and selection methodology.
Meta-analysis
Statistical pooling of studies; outcome depends on input data and heterogeneity.
Regulatory assessment / monograph (EMA, WHO…)
Regulatory body summary for a herbal product — different context from a single RCT; often about products, not home tea.
Expert monograph (herbal preparations)
Structured literature summary for a plant or drug — quality depends on author and edition year.

  • The review summarises preclinical data on thymoquinone (anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, bronchodilatory actions) and clinical trials with seed oil or extract in asthma, dyslipidaemia, hypertension and diabetes, which mostly report improved markers.

    Narrative / orientational literatureReview studyYear: 2016

    Limitations: Clinical trials are small, short and use varied preparations and doses; the authors call for larger trials. It does not support treatment of any disease.

    Gholamnezhad Z, Havakhah S, Boskabady MH — Journal of Ethnopharmacology

    Preclinical and clinical effects of Nigella sativa and its constituent, thymoquinone: A review

    DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2016.06.061

  • A meta-analysis of randomised trials reports that Nigella sativa supplements (seed powder or oil) modestly lowered total and LDL cholesterol and triglycerides compared with control.

    Preliminary findingsMeta-analysisYear: 2019

    Limitations: Heterogeneous preparations and doses, short interventions, small trials mostly from one region; the clinical relevance of the modest drop is unclear. Not about kitchen use of the seed.

    Derakhshan AR — Advances in Integrative Medicine

    Effects of Nigella sativa on serum lipids: a systematic review and meta-analysis

    DOI: 10.1016/j.aimed.2019.03.200

Images

The main photo is in the card header. More images will appear here when available.

Safety

What the warning types mean

The type on each warning helps group themes — it does not replace the separate severity badge.

Internal use
Risks from swallowing, extracts, duration of use or concentration for internal use.
Interactions / medicines
Possible effect on medicines or concurrent treatment — check sources and a professional.
Raw plant parts
Raw, unripe or poorly prepared plant parts can be dangerous.
Toxins and regulation
Toxic constituents or regulated compounds (e.g. in distillates).
Contact with the plant
Skin or mucosa irritation from contact with fresh plant or sap.
Allergy
Allergic reactions, often linked to family sensitisation.
Harvesting and contamination
Contamination, species mix-ups or harvesting from unsuitable places.

No structured safety records yet.