Black seeds oil is great for radiation treatment
A Turkish study from 2014 discovered that black cumin seed oil can help people undergoing radiation therapy against cancer recover. Most of these patients experience terrible side-effects from the treatment which could even be fatal. The study focused on the effects of the oil on irradiated rats. The animals were exposed to gamma radiation and divided into 2 groups – one was fed with about a gram of the oil and hour before the radiation, while also receiving a 10gr. dose in the next 10 days. The other group was given a saline solution, and the control group was not irradiated.
The results showed that black cumin seed oil reduce oxidative stress markers and has powerful antioxidant effects while increasing the oxidative capacity of the liver tissues. Administering the oil 10 days prior to the radiation and for 10 days afterwards protected the rats from the harmful effects of radiation.
A 2012 Indian study also examined the effects of the oil on mice exposed to gamma radiation. The study involved a group of healthy and a group of tumor bearing mice, which were given a dose of black cumin seed extract prior to the exposure (100 mg. per 1 kg. of body weight). The oil managed to protect the rats’ internal organs in both groups which confirms the oil’s protective effects and its antioxidant properties. Scientists believe that the oil can help humans as well, but there are still not clinical trials to confirm this.
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
According to a study conducted by scientists at the Ohio State University in 2013, the most aggressive and most common type of malignant brain tumor in humans is the glioblastoma. It was concluded that , for the treatment of this type of brain tumor, there was a need of thymoquinone – a natural phytochemical with strong tumor killing abilities. It has selective cytotoxic properties for human cells, which means that it kills the cancer cells and leaves the normal ones untouched.
Thymoquinone is able to selectively inhibit the cancer cells of the brain and spinal cord to make clones of themselves, while not impeding the normal cell activity in the brain and spinal cord. The black seed extract can also hinder autophagy genes in cancer cells. Autophagy in cancer cells keeps the cellular energy production thus enabling the continued growth of cancer cells. If the energy production is inhibited it will result in regression of the tumor and will extend the survival of the tumor affected organs. All things considered, thymoquinone provides a new exciting strategy for cancer treatment.