Uses & Effectiveness
Possibly Effective for
- Acne. Applying a gel containing black seed extract to the skin might help to improve acne.
- Hay fever. Taking black seed oil by mouth daily might improve allergy symptoms in people with hay fever.
- Asthma. Taking black seed by mouth along with asthma medicines can improve coughing, wheezing, and lung function in some people with asthma. But it seems to work only in people with very low lung function before treatment.
- A lung disease that makes it harder to breathe (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD). Taking black seed oil by mouth helps to improve lung function in people with COPD who are also using prescribed inhalers.
- Diabetes. Taking black seed powder or black seed oil by mouth daily seems to improve blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.
- A digestive tract infection that can lead to ulcers (Helicobacter pylori or H. pylori). Taking black seed powder along with standard therapies might help to get rid of this infection.
- High blood pressure. Taking black seed powder or black seed oil by mouth might reduce blood pressure by a small amount in healthy adults. But it's not clear if it helps people with high blood pressure.
- Conditions in a man that prevent him from getting a woman pregnant within a year of trying to conceive (male infertility). Taking black seed oil by mouth increases sperm count and how quickly sperm can move. It's not clear if it improves pregnancy rates.
- Breast pain (mastalgia). Applying a gel containing black seed oil to the breasts during the menstrual cycle seems to reduce pain.
