Description
Thymoquinone is a phytochemical from Nigella sativa (black cumin) that exhibits chemopreventive, anticancer, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective activities. In animal models of breast cancer carcinogenesis, thymoquinone decreases levels of malondialdehyde and lactate dehydrogenase and suppresses expression of cancer-related genes. In animal models of airway inflammation, this compound prevents increases in levels of lymphocytes, monocytes, and neutrophils. Thymoquinone also prevents acrylamide-induced motor deficiencies and decreases lipid peroxidation. In hepatocellular carcinoma cells, this compound induces G2 phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, increases levels of Bax, and decreases levels of VEGF and Bcl-2.
References
Linjawi SA, Khalil WK, Hassanane MM, et al. Evaluation of the protective effect of Nigella sativa extract and its primary active component thymoquinone against DMBA-induced breast cancer in female rats. Arch Med Sci. 2015 Mar 16;11(1):220-9. PMID: 25861310.
ElKhoely A, Hafez HF, Ashmawy AM, et al. Chemopreventive and therapeutic potentials of thymoquinone in HepG2 cells: mechanistic perspectives. J Nat Med. 2015 Mar 22. [Epub ahead of print]. PMID: 25796541.
Pejman L, Omrani H, Mirzamohammadi Z, et al. Thymoquinone, the main constituent of Nigella sativa, affects adenosine receptors in asthmatic guinea pigs. Iran J Basic Med Sci. 2014 Dec;17(12):1012-9. PMID: 25859306.
Mehri S, Shahi M, Razavi BM, et al. Neuroprotective effect of thymoquinone in acrylamide-induced neurotoxicity in Wistar rats. Iran J Basic Med Sci. 2014 Dec;17(12):1007-11. PMID: 25859305.
