Advancement in Medicinal Plant Research

27-57

Authors: Deena AS Hussain and M. Musharraf Hussain

The use of plants for the treatment of human illnesses is since time-immemorial. According to a hadith narrated by Ibn ‘Abbâs (ra), Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said that Prophet Sulaymân (as) recorded the names and uses of many herbal remedies after finishing the construction of his temple (Ibn ‘Asâkir, MukhtaṣarTâreekhDimashq, 3:393). Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) too made specific statements on 65 medicinal plants, herbs and shrubs while making prescriptions for the sick people. Among the plants he prescribed Nigella sativa is the most important. About this plant he said, “Black seed is a remedy (cure) for all diseases (ailments) except death” (An authentic hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah (ra) and recorded by Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad and Ibn Majah). This Prophetic statement generated tremendous interest among the world’s scientific community. Their question was, how an unlettered man of the desert without having any pen and paper, could make such a wonderful statement on medical science and pharmacy. Moreover, the Prophet (ﷺ) made the statement at a time when scientific concept about the use of medicinal plants for the treatment of human illnesses and alleviation of their sufferings was not developed until many centuries later. The statement finally led the scientific community to carry out extensive phytochemical and biological investigations on the black seed and its oil. The researchers conducted laboratory experiments using intact animals and clinical trials using human volunteers to substantiate the validity of the statement. However, it is amazing that the researchers after carrying out hundreds of researches around the globe finally concluded that the Prophet’s statement is one hundred per cent true. Muslims consider black seed an effective Prophetic medicine since it was recommended by Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) over 1400 years ago. The Prophet (ﷺ), in his divine wisdom, had made this very important statement. In this paper an effort has been made to discuss the results of published scientific researches carried out on the black seed and its oil by scientists of the world to confirm the truth of the statement. Keywords: Nigella sativa, Nigella sativa oil and extract, black seed, medicinal plant, thymoquinone.