Black Seed Oil
Herb ·Exploratory record · not publication-reviewed ·Updated July 13, 2026
Traditional Middle Eastern remedy with broad immune-modulatory and anti-inflammatory effects.
Exploratory record, not a reviewed medical publication.
See the editorial and medical-review policies for the publication gate.
This generated database record has not completed a claim-level review by a qualified human medical reviewer. Bibliography links and evidence labels are not approval. The page remains available for reference and is excluded from search indexing.
What the research says.
A quick, data-only summary. The full evidence, dosing, and sources are below.
Black Seed Oil is a herb most often used for immune modulation, anti-inflammatory, blood sugar support. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as emerging. A typical adult dose is 1-3 teaspoons or 500-1,000 mg daily, commonly taken as cold-pressed black seed oil or standardized thymoquinone extract. This profile indexes 21 sources.
The bottom line
Evidence rating emerging. Most-documented uses: immune modulation, anti-inflammatory, blood sugar support. 21 sources indexed (2013–2024), with 0 interaction records on file.
How it works, mechanistically.
Core mechanism
Thymoquinone is the primary active compound, inhibiting NF-κB, COX-2, and 5-LOX. Modulates T-helper cell balance, supports natural killer cell activity, and has hepatoprotective effects.18,17
Dosing & protocol.
What it actually costs.
Real-world pricing across three quality tiers. Assumes Cold-Pressed Black Seed Oil.
Assumes 500-1,000 mg softgel or equivalent oil serving. Vendor basis: iHerb, Vitacost, Life Extension, and Amazon marketplace; thymoquinone-standardized extracts set premium. Updated 2026-05-28.
The same dose, as food.
How much you'd eat to match a supplemental dose.
The oil or seeds are the food source; thymoquinone content varies by seed source and oil processing.
Full safety detail.
Sources, by evidence tier.
Numbered references. Citations throughout the page link here.
Meta-analyses & systematic reviews
15- 1Effect of Nigella sativa supplementation on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis.PMIDDaryabeygi-Khothehsara R, Hosseinzadeh-Attar MJ et al. · Clinical Nutrition ESPEN · 2024
Meta-analysis showed Nigella sativa supplementation significantly reduced fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, and HOMA-IR in type 2 diabetes patients.
- 2Effects of Nigella sativa supplementation on blood pressure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.PMIDHadi A, Mohammadi H et al. · Phytotherapy Research · 2024
Meta-analysis of RCTs demonstrated that Nigella sativa supplementation significantly reduced both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
- 3Endothelial Function Responses to Nigella sativa (Black Seed) Supplementation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled TrialsPMIDAli M, Tantawi M, Kamel AH et al. · Cureus · 2024
Ali M, Tantawi M, Kamel AH et al.. Endothelial Function Responses to Nigella sativa (Black Seed) Supplementation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Cureus. 2024
- 4Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials in Uses of Nigella Sativa (Black Seed) in Metabolic SyndromePMIDElhariri S, Burud I, Zulaimy NA et al. · West African journal of medicine · 2024
Elhariri S, Burud I, Zulaimy NA et al.. Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials in Uses of Nigella Sativa (Black Seed) in Metabolic Syndrome. West African journal of medicine. 2024
- 5The efficacy and safety of Nigella sativa in the management of osteoarthritis: A systematic reviewPMIDMousavi SE, Noori M, Marandi H et al. · Health science reports · 2024
Mousavi SE, Noori M, Marandi H et al.. The efficacy and safety of Nigella sativa in the management of osteoarthritis: A systematic review. Health science reports. 2024
- 6Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials assessing the efficacy of nigella sativa supplementation for allergic rhinitis treatmentPMIDHe Y, Hu X, Chang L et al. · Frontiers in pharmacology · 2024
He Y, Hu X, Chang L et al.. Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials assessing the efficacy of nigella sativa supplementation for allergic rhinitis treatment. Frontiers in pharmacology. 2024
- 7Effects of Nigella sativa supplementation on lipid profiles in adults: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsSource linkedPMIDRounagh M, Musazadeh V, Hosseininejad-Mohebati A et al. · Clinical Nutrition ESPEN · 2024
- 8Nigella sativa and health outcomes: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analysesPMCHallajzadeh J et al. · Journal of Integrative Medicine · 2023
N. sativa consumption associated with improvements in blood pressure, lipid profile, inflammatory markers, oxidative stress, and glycemic control across multiple meta-analyses.
- 9The effect of Nigella sativa (black seed) on biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsPMIDArdiana M et al. · Pharmacological Research · 2023
Twenty RCTs (1086 participants) showed N. sativa significantly reduced inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers.
- 10Effect of Nigella sativa supplementation on inflammatory markers: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.PMIDAsgary S, Karimi N et al. · Frontiers in Pharmacology · 2023
Meta-analysis found Nigella sativa supplementation significantly reduced CRP, TNF-alpha, and IL-6 levels, supporting its anti-inflammatory properties.
- 11Antihypertensive effects of Nigella sativa supplementation: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsPMIDKavyani Z, Musazadeh V, Safaei E et al. · Phytotherapy research : PTR · 2023
Kavyani Z, Musazadeh V, Safaei E et al.. Antihypertensive effects of Nigella sativa supplementation: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Phytotherapy research : PTR. 2023
- 12Nigella sativa supplementation improves glycemic control and lipid profiles: a systematic review and meta-analysisSource linkedPMIDDaryabeygi-Khotbehsara R, Golzarand M, Ghaffari MP, Djafarian K · Complement Ther Med · 2017
- 13Nigella sativa and blood glucose: a systematic review and meta-analysisSource linkedPMIDDaryabeygi-Khotbehsara R, Golzarand M, Ghaffari MP, Djafarian K · Complement Ther Med · 2017
- 14A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials investigating the effects of supplementation with Nigella sativa (black seed) on blood pressurePMIDSahebkar A et al. · Journal of Hypertension · 2016
N. sativa supplementation reduced systolic BP by -3.26 mmHg and diastolic BP by -2.80 mmHg compared to control groups.
- 15Effect of Nigella sativa on human lipids: a meta-analysisPMIDSahebkar A, Beccuti G, Simental-Mendia LE et al. · Phytother Res · 2016
TC reduced 15.6 mg/dL, LDL reduced 14.1 mg/dL, TG reduced 20.6 mg/dL
Reviews & position papers
4- 16Nigella sativa (black seed) safety: an overviewPMCMashayekhi-Sardoo H et al. · Food and Chemical Toxicology · 2023
Extensive studies show N. sativa safe at therapeutic doses; adverse effects include GI symptoms at higher doses; subchronic NOAEL for thymoquinone is 5 mg/kg in rats.
- 17Antidiabetic Activity of Nigella Sativa (Black Seeds) and Its Active Constituent (Thymoquinone): A Review of Human and Experimental Animal StudiesPMCBenhaddou-Andaloussi A et al. · Frontiers in Pharmacology · 2021
Numerous clinical and animal studies demonstrate antidiabetic efficacy of black seeds and thymoquinone, though large-sample high-quality RCTs are needed.
- 18Review on Clinical Trials of Black Seed (Nigella sativa) and Its Active Constituent, ThymoquinonePMIDSahebkar A et al. · Journal of Pharmacopuncture · 2018
Thymoquinone is the primary active compound with demonstrated effects on inflammatory/autoimmune disorders, metabolic syndrome, and cancer in clinical trials.
- 19A systematic review on the pharmacological activities of Nigella sativa extractsSource linkedPMIDAhmad A, Husain A, Mujeeb M et al. · Saudi J Biol Sci · 2013
Reference material
2- 20Farhangi MA, Dehghan P, Tajmiri S et al.. The effects of Nigella sativa on thyroid function, serum Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) - 1, Nesfatin-1 and anthropometric features in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis: a randomized controlled trial. BMC complementary and alternative medicine. 2016Source linkedPMID
- 21Chatterjee G, Saha AK, Khurshid S et al.. A Comprehensive Review of the Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Therapeutic Efficacies of Black Cumin (Nigella sativa L.) Seed Oil and Its Thymoquinone. Journal of medicinal food. 2025Source linkedPMID
Common questions.
Quick answers about Black Seed Oil, drawn from the data on this page.
What is Black Seed Oil?
Traditional Middle Eastern remedy with broad immune-modulatory and anti-inflammatory effects.
What is Black Seed Oil used for?
Commonly cited benefits of Black Seed Oil include: Immune modulation; Anti-inflammatory; Blood sugar support; Respiratory health. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as emerging.
What is a typical dose of Black Seed Oil?
A typical adult dose of Black Seed Oil is 1-3 teaspoons or 500-1,000 mg daily. The commonly recommended form is Cold-pressed black seed oil or standardized thymoquinone extract. These are general ranges, not personalized advice; confirm the right dose with a clinician.
What are the side effects of Black Seed Oil?
Reported side effects include gi upset, allergic dermatitis (topical), blood sugar lowering. This is educational information; check with a healthcare professional before use.
How strong is the evidence for Black Seed Oil?
NutriStack rates this as Emerging, meaning early RCT signal, mechanistic data, or limited human evidence. Full tier criteria are at https://nutristackapp.com/methodology/evidence-tiers.
Use this with your stack
Black Seed Oil in NutriStack.
Add it to your stack, see how it interacts with everything else you take, and get a Stack Score that updates the moment it does.