ABSTRACT
Black cumin oil is the essential oil obtained from the seeds of the black caraway, Nigella sativa L. The seeds of the black caraway contain approximately 35% by weight of a crude oil, which is composed of 98.2–99.9% of this fixed oil and which is rich in linoleic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid and stearic acid and is used in cosmetics as emollient and skin conditioner. The plant is native to Turkey and Iraq and is sometimes naturalized from the Mediterranean region to central Asia; it is widely cultivated in different parts of the world, mainly in countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea; Egypt is one of the main producers of N. sativa seeds. The essential black cumin oil is used as condiment, carminative, analgesic and food preservative and has been recommended as a remedy for cough, asthma, flu, vertigo and headache.
