Ibrahim Oreagba, Professor of Pharmacology, Department of Therapeutics, and Toxicology College of Medicine, University of Lagos has authenticated the health benefits and medicinal potentials of black seeds.
Oreagba stated this in his paper presented at the 10th Obafemi Awolowo University Muslim Graduates’ Association (UNIFEMGA), honour’s day in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
He speaks on “Prophetic medicines and the medicinal potentials of black seeds”.
According to him, the research by the Holy Prophet has actually opened the floodgates of scientific research into the health benefits and medicinal potentials of the black seeds leading to array of discoveries.
The expert in drugs, however, described prophetic medicines in Islam as to actions, words and prescriptions specifically of the Project Muhammad (SAW) with regards to sickness, treatment and hygiene.
Quoting the Prophet Muhammad on black seeds, he says: “utilise the black seeds, for without a doubt, it is a cure for all sickness aside from death”.
“It includes both physical for body ailments and spiritual prescription known as ruqya for demonic exorcism.”
Oreagba explained that some of these prophetic medicines includes honey, dates, olive, cinnamon, siwak and black seeds among others.
He notes that research on black seeds also known as Nigella Sativa had been carried out worldwide with promising result.
The don mentioned are three natural phytochemicals compounds in black seed oil including thymoquinone (TQ), thymohydroquinone (THQ), and thymol (THY).
“There have been well over 600 peer reviewed scientific articles relates to the benefits of black seeds oil ranging from its potentials as a cancer treatment to its ability reduce blood pressure and the symptoms of rheumatism,” he said.
Oreagba posits that black seeds have a wide spectrum of pharmacological actions that have been supported by science, listing some of the actions to include anti-cancer, immunomodulator, analgesic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and spasmolytic.
Others included bronchodilator, hepato-protective, renal protective, gastroprotective and anti-oxidant among others.
The expert noted that treatment of rats with the seeds extract for up to 12 weeks has been reported to induce changes in the haemogram that include increase in both the packed cells volume, hemoglobin and decrease in plasma concentrations of cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose.
He therefore urged government to establish a separate database for the safety monitoring of herbs to documents their adverse effects profile, also called for establishing of “home grown” clinical trial consortium for Nigerian herbals with verified claims and subsequent standardization of dosages.
SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin
