Effect of Nigella sativa Nasal Spray on the Treatment of Chronic Rhinosinusitis Without a Nasal Polyp.

Background: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a common inflammatory disease of nasal and paranasal sinuses, with many treatment methods available for the management of this disease. Recently, herbal medicines have shown a significant impact on inflammatory diseases such as CRS, and one of these herbal medicines is Nigella sativa . Therefore, the current study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of N. sativa in patients with CRS without nasal polyp (CRSsNP).

Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, 65 patients with mild to moderate CRSsNP were enrolled based on the inclusion criteria. Patients were divided randomly into 2 parallel groups: intervention and placebo groups. Patients in the intervention group received 2 puffs/day of N. sativa nasal spray (1 g/day of N. sativa ) and in the placebo group received 2 puffs/day of sodium chloride spray 0.65%.

Results: Thirty-one patients (19 men and 12 women) in the intervention group and 34 in the placebo group (18 men and 16 women) were evaluated. Lund-McKay, Lund Kennedy, and Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 scores were assessed for both groups after 8 weeks of treatments. These scores decreased significantly in both groups. However, these scores were significantly lower in the intervention group compared with the placebo group ( P  < .0001, for all).

Conclusion: The use of N. sativa nasal spray has symptom reliever effect with no adverse effects in patients with CRSsNP.