I’ve been nursing my 14 year old Jack Russell Terrier grand dog after a stay in the hospital for a serious case of pancreatitis. A horse client suggest I join the yahoo support group and it has provided me with an abundance of new and interesting information. Have you heard of Black Seed? I hadn’t until now, but will be reading more and sharing:
Black seed is a plant. People have used the seed to make medicine for over 2000 years. It was even discovered in the tomb of King Tut.
Historically, black seed has been used for headache, toothache, nasal congestion, and intestinal worms. It has also been used for “pink eye” (conjunctivitis), pockets of infection (abscesses), and parasites.
Today, black seed is used for treating digestive tract conditions including gas, colic, diarrhea, dysentery, constipation, and hemorrhoids. It is also used for respiratory conditions including asthma, allergies, cough, bronchitis, emphysema, flu, swine flu, and congestion.
Other uses include lowering blood pressure, lowering cholesterol levels, treating cancer, and boosting the immune system. You may read that a patent has been issued to cover the use of black seed to improve immunity, but don’t be misled. The presence of a patent doesn’t mean black seed has been shown to be effective for this use.
Women use black seed for birth control, to start menstruation, and to increase milk flow.
Black seed is sometimes used in combination with cysteine, vitamin E, and saffron to ease the side effects of a chemotherapy drug called cisplatin.
Some people apply black seed directly to the skin for joint pain (rheumatism), headache, and certain skin conditions.
In foods, black seed is used as a flavoring or spice.
How does it work?
There is some scientific evidence to suggest that black seed might help boost the immune system, fight cancer, prevent pregnancy, and lessen allergic reactions by acting as an antihistamine, but there isn’t enough information in humans yet.
Scientific studies have shown that the administration of black seeds have a beneficial effect against pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal forms of cancer. Chronic pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas, is often a precursor to the occurrence of pancreatic cancer. A study performed by the Department of Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania revealed that a chemical present in black seeds decreased inflammation of the pancreas which inhibited the production of pancreatic cancer cells. The chemical responsible for these protective properties is thymoquinone. Thymoquinone is one of the chemicals in black seeds that is responsible for the antioxidant benefits of black seeds.