Coughs can arise from many causes, possibly being a signal of other underlying health problems and needing to be both treated and used as a signal for further investigation.
As nigella has many benefits, the question arises as to its effectiveness specifically on coughs through the presence of the active ingredient "thymoquinone".
A study carried out in the Emirates on animals showed that consumption of nigella oil produced better results than other solutions.
In fact, those exposed to codeine or thymoquinone had significantly fewer coughs than those who consumed a saline solution.
Codeine and thymoquinone were then compared separately, with both showing similar results.
Related study: Boskabady MH, Kiani S, Jandaghi P, Ziaei T, Zarei A. Antitussive effect of Nigella sativa in guinea pigs. Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences. 2004;20:224-8.
Nigella has been compared to codeine, as they are the two most commonly used elements to combat coughs. Indeed, codeine is the main active ingredient designated to act on coughs in syrups.
A study conducted in Iran has once again shown that thymoquinone and codeine are equal in terms of cough-fighting.
Study concerned: Comparison of Antitussive Effect of Nigella Sativa with Codeine in Guinea Pig. Authors : M. H. Boskabady S. Kiani P. Jandaghi T. Ziaei A. Zarei. Department of Physiology, Ghaem Medical Centre, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Although the previously cited study focuses on thymoquinone, it provides a real-world view of the potential effects of black cumin vs. codeine.
The problem with codeine is that it has numerous side effects such as addiction, sleep disorders, nausea, a kind of euphoria. Whereas black cumin oil has none.
Nigella oil is clearly a healthier alternative to syrups. Especially since a large study by UFC que choisir showed that a majority of syrups were more placebo than concrete solutions.
Nigella oil is clearly a healthier alternative to syrups.
Since 2022, certain syrups containing these dangerous molecules have begun to be banned in France and Europe.
Related products
