Effectiveness of Nigella sativa Oil in the Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: A Placebo Controlled Study
Phytotherapy Research, 05/04/2012
Clinical Article
Gheita TA et al. – Supplementation with Nigella sativa during DMARD therapy in RA may be considered an affordable potential adjuvant biological therapy.
Methods- Data from 40 female RA patients diagnosed according to the 2010 ACR/EULAR were analysed and discussed.
- The patients took two placebo (starch filled) capsules daily for 1month.
- This was followed by a month of Nigella sativa oil capsules 500 mg twice/day.
- The disease activity score (DAS–28) significantly decreased after receiving the Nigella sativa capsules (4.55 ± 0.82) compared with before and after placebo (4.98 ± 0.79 and 4.99 ± 0.72, respectively) (p = 0.017).
- Similarly, the number of swollen joints and the duration of morning stiffness improved.
- A marked improvement in the disease activity was shown by both the ACR20 and EULAR response criteria in 42.5% and 30% of the patients, respectively, after intake of Nigella.



