title: Anti-cancer properties and mechanisms of action of thymoquinone, the major active ingredient of Nigella sativa.
abstract: Over the past two decades, studies have documented the wide-range anti-cancer effects of Nigella sativa, known as black seed or black cumin. Thymoquinone (TQ), its major active ingredient, has also been extensively studied and reported to possess potent anti-cancer properties. Herein, we provide a comprehensive review of the findings related to the anti-cancer activity of TQ. The review focuses on analyzing experimental studies performed using different in vitro and in vivo models to identify the anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic, anti-oxidant, cytotoxic, anti-metastatic, and NK-dependent cytotoxic effects exerted by TQ. In addition, we pinpoint the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects and the signal transduction pathways implicated by TQ. Our analysis show that p53, NF-κB, PPARγ, STAT3, MAPK, and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways are among the most significant pathways through which TQ mediates its anti-cancer activity. Experimental findings and recent advances in the field highlight TQ as an effective therapeutic agent for the suppression of tumor development, growth and metastasis for a wide range of tumors.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences , American University of Sharjah , Sharjah , United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Amin F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Majdalawieh
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences , American University of Sharjah , Sharjah , United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Muneera W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Fayyad
authors.affiliation: b Department of Biomedical Science, College of Health Sciences , Qatar University , Doha , Qatar.|c Biomedical Research Center , Qatar University , Doha , Qatar.
authors.forename: Gheyath K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Nasrallah
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis; D016227:Benzoquinones / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D031881:Nigella sativa / Q000737:chemistry*; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016227:Benzoquinones; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; C003466:thymoquinone
keywords: Nigella sativa; anti-cancer; apoptosis; cytotoxicity; thymoquinone (TQ)