The relation between black seed oil and antidepressants has been in the spotlight for quite some time now. People have all sorts of questions about the usage of black seed oil concerning antidepressants.

What exactly is black seed oil? How does black seed oil help with antidepressant withdrawal symptoms? Or, how does Black Seed oil help with tapering antidepressants? If you are looking for answers, you've landed on the right page.

This article will take you through everything you need to know about how black seed oil assists with tapering antidepressants. So, without further ado, let's begin!

Before anything else,

What is Black Seed Oil?

Black seed oil is simply the oil pressed from the seeds of Black seeds (Nigella Sativa). Nigella Sativa or Black Seed has been used as a medicinal and therapeutic plant since ancient days. It is also known as dark cumin or black caraway and is particularly popular in the Middle East and Asian regions.

Black seed has been used to treat several ailments such as diarrhoea, blood pressure, cholesterol, conjunctivitis, and many more. It is also said that Black Seed can lessen depression and weakness.

Out of the many medicinal properties, Black Seed oil has been demonstrated to have anti-hypertensive, analgesics and calming, antioxidant, and spasmolytic properties. Thus, it is believed to help with tapering antidepressants.

How can Black Seed oil assist with weaning off/tapering antidepressants?

Tapering means to gradually discontinue or reduce the dosage of a particular drug. Tapering antidepressants can be really challenging. Thus, people are always on the hunt for different sedatives or supplements that would ease their tapering phase. One such product is the Black Seed Oil.

It is said that black seed oil may help reduce the symptoms of drug withdrawal. Several studies have been made on the effect of black seed oil for opiate withdrawal. Antidepressants have a lot to do with the body's nervous system. And since black seed oil can treat various types of diseases relating to the nervous system, it may help alleviate depression and also weaning off antidepressants.

In a particular study, several opiate-dependent people (study subjects) took three doses of 500mg Black seed capsules daily. They experienced a reduction in acute opiate withdrawal symptoms and cravings after a complete twelve-week treatment course. The researchers accounted for this positive result to Black Seed's calcium channel blocking effects. And they encouraged further research to be made on Nigella Sativa's (Black Seed) pharmaceutical uses.

In another study, the interaction of Black Seed or black seed oil with different neurotransmitters resulted in positive properties of morphine medication. The use of Black seed extract sixty minutes prior to morphine administration on both conditioning, and post-conditioning phases resulted in the reduction of morphine-induced CPP (Conditioned Place Preference).

In general, Black Seed and its extracts showed certain positive results in drug taper and tolerance. While only a few studies were made on the mechanism of Black Seed oil, it was stated in a few that the positive effects of Black Seed oil were due to its antioxidant properties.

There is also some evidence that Black Seed and its extract may help in increasing serotonin levels in the brain, which is a major function of most antidepressants. It has been said that the seed may work similarly to SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor).

Many people on different forums and platforms discuss how Black seed oil can ease tapering related pains. Though there have been certain positive researches made on Black Seed Oil, there is only a little information available on the seeds' safe usage. Thus, before administering black seed oil, it is best to talk to your doctor first and get his consent.