What is Black Seed Oil – Nigella Sativa

Mosquitoes and ectoparasites, such as ticks, fleas, lice, mites transmit a variety of diseases. Conventional medicine recommends synthetic pesticides and repellents as a means of protection. Many of the synthetic products are highly effective anti-parasitics, but they often contain neurotoxins. Side effects are very rare and often less dangerous than “damage” caused by the diseases that they can help avoid. Nevertheless, many users fear side effects and prefer organic substances that can be obtained from plant products. Black Seed, Nigella Sativa, also known as black caraway or black cumin is such a natural product, more precisely the oil obtained from the seed.

What is Black Seed Oil

Black Seed, Nigella sativa is an annual flowering plant that is native to North Africa and southwestern Asia. The seeds and the oil from the seeds have been used for medicinal and culinary purposes for centuries. It is used as an excellent spice worldwide and gives amazing flavors to cuisines. Its medicinal uses are so diverse that it has been used for various ailments in humans as well as animals ranging from mere toothache to fighting cancer and it has been boosting the immune system for centuries.

 

Extraction of Black seed oil

The oil is obtained from the seeds of the Nigella sativa plant. After flowering, the annual plant forms fruit capsules in which the seeds are. When the plant has died, the fruit capsules are harvested and dried. The seeds are extracted from the fruit capsule and are freed from impurities. The seeds are then mechanically cold-pressed to obtain high-quality black cumin oil. The black cumin oil obtained in this way is characterized by a strong, pleasant smell and taste.

Active ingredient

Nigella Sativa oil (Black seed oil) mainly consists of unsaturated fatty acids, essential oils, a variety of vitamins, and other trace elements.

The substances that give Nigella oil its insect and tick-repellent properties are the naturally occurring terpenes Carvacrol and Thymol found in many plants that act as a deterrent to insects.

 Nigella Sativa as a tick and mosquito repellant

Terpenes are organic compounds produced by a variety of plants to deter plant-eating insects and parasites. Carvacrol and Thymols found in Nigella sativa have toxic and repellant activity against ticks and mosquitoes. Carvacrol shows ovicidal and larvicidal activity against ticks.

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How to use Nigella Sativa oil as a repellant

The essential oil of Nigella Sativa can easily be applied topically to clothing and skin to repel ticks and mosquitos.

Dogs can also be treated, simply rub black cumin oil into the fur to protect your pet against ticks, fleas, and other parasites.

Advantages:

• Nigella Sativa is a natural and easily available product
• Used as food for over two thousand years
• Easy topically applied to the skin
• No serious side effects are known
• Helps to repel ticks and reduces the risk of tick bites
• Works as a repellant for mosquito bites and prevents mosquito-borne diseases
• Can be sprayed in the yard to keep the ticks off
• Blackseed oil can be used as a carrier oil for homemade insect- and tick repellent
• It is anti-inflammatory, ointments can be used to treat conditions

Disadvantage

• Not as effective as a synthetic repellent
• May cause allergic skin reactions in rare cases
• Strong smell
• Must not be used on cats as it is toxic to cats

Side effects:

Before first use, do a patch test on a small area of the skin to check for hypersensitive skin reactions. Don’t use if itching or other skin reaction occurs. In rare cases, topically applied Nigella Sativa can cause allergic reactions.
Some people may not like the characteristic smell of the oil. Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers are advised to consult their physicians before using Nigella Sativa essential oil.

Blackseed oil and bug repellent

Ticks and mosquitoes are a major cause of vector-borne diseases in humans and animals. Precautions should be taken to avoid mosquito and tick bites, especially when in areas where these insects are cause for concern. Lyme disease, malaria, and dengue fever are serious and life-threatening diseases.

Nigella sativa oil can be used as an organic alternative to synthetic repellents. Blackseed oil has been used traditionally for a multitude of applications it is considered safe and there are no serious side effects known.

Keep in mind there is no 100% protection, so depending on where you are, and if there is a high risk to contract mosquito of tick-borne illness, it may be advisable to resort to more effective means of protection.