Black seed was originally discovered in the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamen's tomb (dated about 1325 BC ). This is pretty significant because in the ancient Egyptian cultures only the highest of quality items were placed in the tomb in order to protect the spirit in the afterlife. Thus, Nigella sativa probably had an important role in the ancient Egyptian practices.
It has also been mentioned in the Old Testament and by the prophet Mohammed and was even used by Cleopatra for health and beauty purposes.
The ancient Greek physician Dioscorides used it to treat headaches, nasal congestion, toothaches and intestinal disorders, while the father of medicine Hippocrates, considered it as the most valuable herb/spice for digestive disorders. The black cumin oil produced from the seed of the Nigella sativa plant is so beneficial that there are no other herbs like it.
The Greeks and Romans used Nigella sativa as a condiment and it is still commonly used today as a culinary herb. In Greece the seeds are used on Greek bread, in salads or are consumed as tea.
Basically it contains more than a hundred components such as aromatic oils, minerals, vitamins and enzymes. As such it treats a wide range of diseases, such as diabetes, MS, Alzheimer’s disease, hepatitis C and more. This herb has a rich composition of proteins, minerals, carbohydrates and fats and almost all of its fat content is in the form of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids - which are very important for good overall health and a sound immune system. It also has around 15 amino acids, the building blocks of protein, 9 of which are the essential amino acids.
Originally, Nigella sativa was used to treat migraines and allergies, but recent discoveries have shown that this little black seed is effective in destroying cancer cells.
In fact more than 200 studies have been conducted in universities and the results are phenominal. Researchers at Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson showed that Nigella sativa could cause cell death when used against pancreatic tumor cells. The results showed an 80 percent success rate. This study on pancreatic tumor cells was only the beginning to many future studies on the effect of Nigella sativa against cancer.
According to Hwyda Arafat, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of Surgery at College of Thomas Jefferson University, "Nigella sativa helps treat a broad array of diseases, including some immune and inflammatory disorders. Previous studies also have shown anticancer activity in prostate and colon cancers, as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects."
The studies showed potential positive results with prostate and colon cancers. Breast cancer has also been studied in separate research showing the ability to eradicate cancer cells and provide excellent health for many women worldwide.
Further documentation from survivors showed testimonies from people who cured their cancers using Nigella sativa for a wide array of cancers, which include brain, bone and stomach cancer.
Nigella sativa has many benefits. It contains strong anti-hypertensive, anti-Inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-bacterial, and anti-histamine properties. It also strengthens the immune system. Additional benefits are that it promotes lactation and is anti-parasitic.
In the US researchers recently discovered that the herb kills pancreatic cancer cells also and appears to inhibit development of pancreatic cancer as a result of its anti-inflammatory properties. According to data from researchers at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson, Thymoquinone, the major constituent of the oil extract from a Middle Eastern herbal seed called Nigella sativa, exhibits anti-inflammatory properties that reduces the release of inflammatory mediators in pancreatic cancer cells.
Hwyda Arafat, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of Surgery at the Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University and a member of the Jefferson Pancreatic, Biliary & Related Cancers Center claims that this herb helps treat a broad array of diseases, including some immune and inflammatory disorders. Previous studies have also shown it to have anti-cancer effects on prostate and colon cancers.
Based upon their previously published findings that thymoquinone inhibits histone deacetylases (HDACs), Dr. Arafat and her colleagues compared the anti-inflammatory properties of thymoquinone and trichostatin A, an HDAC inhibitor that has previously shown to ameliorate inflammation-associated cancers.
The researchers used pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) cells, some of which were pretreated with the cytokine TNF-alpha to induce inflammation. Thymoquinone almost completely abolished the expression of several inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-alpha, interleukin-1beta, interleukin-8, Cox-2 and MCP-1, an effect that was more superior to the effect of trichostatin A.
The herb also inhibited the activation and synthesis of NF-kappaB, a transcription factor that has been implicated in inflammation-associated cancer. Activation of NF-kappaB has been observed in pancreatic cancer and may be a factor in pancreatic cancer's resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. When animal models of pancreatic cancer were treated with thymoquinone, 67 percent of the tumors were significantly shrunken, and the levels of proinflammatory cytokines in the tumors were significantly reduced.
Inflammation has been implicated in the development of several solid tumor malignancies. Chronic pancreatitis, both hereditary and sporadic, is associated with the risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
"These are very exciting and novel results," Dr. Arafat said.
"Not only patients with chronic pancreatitis could benefit from this, but also several other groups with risk of development or recurrence of pancreatic cancer, such as high-risk family members and post-surgical patients."
"These potent effects show promise for the herb as a potential preventive and therapeutic strategy for pancreatic cancer. More importantly, the herb and oil are safe when used moderately, and have been used for thousands of years without reported toxic effects."
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