Topical preparation from a 96%-ethanol extract of Nigella sativa seed,
does it really help with Reduced VASI and improved repigmentation in vitiligo?
research showsGrade C with 46 points. In a 52-person six-month trial, VASI changed from 4.98 to 3.75 with the Nigella preparation and from 4.98 to 4.62 with fish oil. The exact six-month contrast, 95% CI, and prospective testing hierarchy remain unverified.
ads claimComplete repigmentation, efficacy at every body site, and replacement of standard treatment were not established.
Useful facts when choosing a product
- This verdict applies only to the exact plant part, formulation, route, dose, population, endpoint, and comparator shown above.
- Seed powder, fixed oil, aqueous extract, ethanolic topical preparation, purified thymoquinone, and combinations are not interchangeable.
- Composition varies by product and extraction method. People who are pregnant or breastfeeding, children, those with liver or kidney disease, and anyone using glucose-, blood-pressure-, anticoagulant-, antiseizure-, or immune-modifying medicines should seek clinical advice. Small trials cannot exclude rare or long-term harms.
Chamgap Semantic Classification Code
Permanent code issued
K.nigella-ethanolic-seed-extract.topical-skin.vitiligo-repigmentation.improve.activeNonstandard topical therapy > Nigella ethanolic seed extract > Topical skin > Vitiligo repigmentation > Improvement claim > Fish-oil active control
Identified by the reported 96%-ethanol seed-extraction method rather than the paper's generic oil label. The code identifies the intervention and claim; it never contains the evidence grade, score, or safety result.
Exact Claim Classification
These independent facets prevent evidence from different forms, routes, populations, effects, and comparators from being mixed.
| Intervention class | K · Folk or alternative practice |
|---|---|
| Canonical ingredient or intervention | Nigella ethanolic seed extract |
| Source or part used | Nigella sativa L. seed |
| Formulation or processing | Ground seeds extracted with 96% ethanol and solvent evaporated; not simply pressed oil |
| Route | Topical skin |
| Dose | Applied to lesions twice daily; 100 g was container amount, per-application dose unverified |
| Duration | Six months of treatment and follow-up |
| Population | Fifty-two participants with vitiligo |
| Effect or condition | Improved repigmentation and VASI |
| Primary endpoint | Change in VASI |
| Comparator | Topical fish-oil active comparator |
| Duplicate-detection key | nigella-sativa|96-percent-ethanolic-seed-extract|topical-skin|adults-vitiligo|vasi-repigmentation-improvement|6-months |
What the research actually shows
A topical ethanolic seed extract was compared with topical fish oil; pure oil, creams, and phototherapy combinations are different interventions.
Why this is classified as C (46)
Human active-control data exist, but independent funding, the exact between-group effect, and precision strengths remain unverified; 52 participants and multiplicity yield C with 46 points.
Counterpoint. Uncertainty does not prove no effect, but a signal from one formulation cannot validate another formulation or claim.
Rejudgment record. Independent Codex cross-check — One page, one route, one population, one claim, one principal comparator
| Endpoint | P | Patient-reported treatment goal - the symptom is the goal |
| Replication | R1 | Single confirmatory trial |
| Independence | I1 | Mixed funding sources |
| Effect size | EX | The clinical size of the effect could not be judged |
| Precision | CX | No pooled confidence interval could be confirmed |
The scoring table and the verdict agree (C).
Cross-check — AI research and Codex final gate
Evidence Table
| Study | Design | Sample | Funding | Endpoint | Result | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comparison of the efficacy of topical Nigella sativa and fish oil in vitiligo | The cited controlled design and its allocation or masking limitations were independently checked. | 52 | Funding, product support, and employee authorship were assessed separately; unverified items were not counted as strengths. | The principal endpoint is defined in the exact facets; secondary outcomes remain separate. | The verified quantitative result is reported in the English reader answer and rationale without inventing missing confidence intervals. | Direct active-control evidence |
Receipt — 1 References
All 1 cited sources were verified for existence at the original page (as of 2026-09-08).
Final verification and publication gate: Codex · Verification cutoff: 2026-09-08 · Corrections: none
Cite this verdict
[Chamgap] Topical Ethanolic Nigella Seed Extract for Vitiligo—Lower VASI Than Fish Oil in One Small Active-Control Trial — Evidence Grade C·46. 1 cited sources checked. Source: https://chamgap.com/en/verdicts/skin-hair/topical-nigella-ethanolic-seed-extract-vitiligo-vasi/ · CC BY 4.0CC BY 4.0 — free to use with attribution; do not distort grades, numbers, or verdict meaning.
What this document does and does not do
Chamgap is an information source. It reports what research has and has not confirmed; it does not tell readers what to take or buy. That decision belongs to readers and, when needed, medical or legal professionals. This verdict reflects literature available up to the search date and may change as new research appears. Nothing here is medical advice.