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Black Seed Oil

Black seed oil is pressed from the seeds of black cumin (Nigella sativa), a flowering plant of the buttercup family. Its best-known compound is thymoquinone.

Also listed as Black Cumin Seed Extract, Black Cumin Seed Oil, Black Seed Extract, Black Cumin Extract

LongevityImmune SupportWeight ManagementCardiovascularOrgan Function

Digestive discomfort and allergy are possible

LiverTox lists abdominal discomfort, bloating, diarrhea, altered taste and headache, usually mild and temporary. Rash and hypersensitivity reactions can occur. The favorable liver-safety record described in its 2023 review should not be read as a guarantee for every product or dose. 1

Applying the oil is a separate exposure

Black seed oil can cause allergic contact dermatitis. An oral trial therefore does not establish that applying undiluted oil is harmless to the skin. 2

Interactions deserve a medication review

MSK reports inhibition of the drug-processing enzymes CYP2D6 and CYP3A4, and a possible interaction between thymoquinone and warfarin. Their clinical significance is unknown. For people taking medicines, that is a reason to discuss the actual product with a clinician or pharmacist, not to assume a predictable interaction or a safe combination. 3

Breastfeeding safety remains an open question

LactMed found no data on transfer of black seed constituents into milk or safety in infants. A study showing a greater prolactin rise did not show better infant growth. It therefore does not establish a useful or safe milk-supply treatment. 2

There is no single established dose for the whole range of claims

BARMER notes that a recommended supplement dose has not been established. The quantities above describe specific studies. A month-long knee trial and a 12-week diabetes trial cannot establish a universal daily amount or safety over years. 4 5 6

For information, not individual medical advice. Ingredient studies do not establish the effectiveness of these products.

Sources

  1. Black Cumin Seed LiverTox, 2023
  2. Black Seed LactMed, 2025
  3. Nigella sativa Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center