2021-09-13 08:40:32
An open-label randomized controlled clinical trial investigated Nigella sativa oil (NSO) – a herbal extract with anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and antiviral properties – as an effective treatment for COVID-19. Eligible participants aged 18 and above presented with mild symptoms of COVID-19 between May 1 and Sept. 31, 2020, at the King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Cases were confirmed using the polymerase chain reaction test within 1 week of symptom onset. Participants were randomly allocated to the intervention group (n=91) to receive 500 mg NSO twice daily for 10 days with standard care, or the control group (n=92) to receive only standard care. The primary outcome was the percentage of patients who reported being 3 days symptom-free within 14 days following randomization. Authors assessed the number of days for recovery, adverse drug reactions, symptom duration, and disease-related hospital admissions as secondary outcomes. A total of 183 participants were included in quantitative statistical analysis. Results indicated a significant relationship between NSO and a higher likelihood for recovery from mild COVID-19, where nearly 62% of participants in the intervention group achieved symptom-free recovery by day 14, compared to only 36% in the control group. Treatment with NSO was also reported to lower adverse effects, shorten recovery time by 2 days, and impact the duration of anosmia (loss of smell) and runny nose symptoms in patients.
[collapse collapsed title=Reference] Koshak, A. E., Koshak, E. A., Mobeireek, A. F., Badawi, M. A., Wali, S. O., Malibary, H. M., Atwah, A. F., Alhamdan, M. M., Almalki, R. A., & Madani, T. A. (2021). Nigella sativa for the treatment of COVID-19: An open-label randomized controlled clinical trial. Complementary therapies in medicine, 61, 102769. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2021.102769