Abstract
Thymoquinone (TQ) is the principal active monomer isolated from the seed of the medicinal plant Nigella sativa. This compound has antitumor effects against various types of cancer including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), mainly due to its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. Several pre-clinical studies showed that TQ, through the modulation of different molecular pathways, is able to induce anti-apoptotic and anti-proliferative effects in HCC, without signs of toxicity. Moreover, it has been suggested that TQ has hepatoprotective effects by enhancing the tolerability and effectivity of neoadjuvant therapy prior to liver surgery, although the underlying mechanisms are not completely understood. Based on these findings, is assumable that TQ could represent a valuable therapeutic option for patients suffering from HCC. In this review, we summarize the potential roles of TQ in the prevention and treatment of HCC, by revising the preclinical studies and by highlighting the potential applications of TQ as a therapeutic choice for HCC treatment into clinical practices.
Highlights
Thymoquinone (TQ) is the predominant bioactive constituent present in the volatile oil of black seed (Nigella sativa), used as a condiment in the Middle East [1,2,3,4]
TQ: chemical structure, biological properties, and roles in the human hepatocellular carcinoma Thymoquinone (TQ) or 2-isopropyl-5-methyl-1, 4benzoquinone (Fig. 1), is the predominant constituent derived from the seeds of Nigella sativa whose composition has been previously described by Mollazadeh et al [14]
Due to its anti-oxidant properties, TQ preserved the activity and mRNA expression of antioxidant enzymes as nitrate/ nitrite (NOx), glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx), glutathione-s-transferase (GST) and catalase (CAT) which were altered by DENA (Table 1)
Summary
Thymoquinone (TQ) is the predominant bioactive constituent present in the volatile oil of black seed (Nigella sativa), used as a condiment in the Middle East [1,2,3,4]. The authors showed that TQ (4 mg/kg/day delivered in drinking water) was able to counteract the DENA-induced initiation of liver cancer. In a fascinating study, et al [33], showed that TQ (20 mg/kg) had anti-proliferative effects in experimental rats with hepatocarcinogenesis induced by N-nistrodiethhylamine (NDEA, 0,01% in drinking water), by arresting the cycle progression at G1/S phase.
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