Prospects for the Use of Thymoquinone (a Component of Nigella sativa) in the Prevention and Therapy of Neuropathologies

Cover Page

Cite item

Full Text

Abstract

Black cumin and its component thymoquinone (TQ) are known as drugs with a wide range of pharmacological activities: immunomodulating, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral, antineoplastic properties. These drugs also have neuroprotective properties in neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's), ischaemia, epilepsy, encephalomyelitis, traumatic brain injury. The main mechanisms of action are antioxidant activity increased expression of neuroprotective genes and proteins with decreased activity of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the NF-кB pathway, which plays a key role in neuroinflammation. A separate section is devoted to the effects of black cumin and TQ on the course of depression, a common and socially significant illness. Reduced signs of depression and increased levels of a neuroprotective factor belonging to the neutrophin family (BDNF), a characteristic marker of depression, were described in 54 depressed patients. The review discusses the prospects for prevention and therapy with these drugs in central nervous system pathology.

Full Text

Restricted Access

About the authors

G. D. Zasukhina

Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences

Author for correspondence.
Email: zasukhina@vigg.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow

T. N. Maksimova

Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University

Email: zasukhina@vigg.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow

References

  1. Жанатаев А.К., Кулакова А.В., Дурнев А.Д. Модифицирующее действие метформина на цитогенетические эффекты доксорубицина и циклофосфамида у мышей // Генет. токсикол. 2023. Т. 21 (1). С. 53–58.
  2. Салеева Д.В., Раева Н.Ф., Абдуллаев С.А. и др. Профилактический и терапевтический потенциал тимохинона при ряде патологий человека на основе определения активации клеточных компонентов, осуществляющих защитные функции, по активности генов и некодирующих РНК // Госп. мед. наука практ. 2023. Т. 6 (2). С. 27–36.
  3. Alhibshi A., Odawara A., Suzuki I. Neuroprotective efficacy of thymoquinone against amyloid beta-induced neurotoxicity in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cholinergic neurons // Biochem. Biophis. Rep. 2019. V. 17. P. 122–126.
  4. Anaeigoudari A. Antidepressant and antinociceptive effects of Nigella sativa and its main constituent, thymoquinone: a literature review // As. Pacif. J. Trop. Biomed. 2022. V. 12 (2). P. 495–503.
  5. Cascella M., Bimonte S., Barbieri A. et al. Dissecting the potential roles of Nigella sativa and thymoquinone on prevention and the progression of Alzheimer’s disease // Front. Aging Neurosci. 2018. V. 10. P. 16.
  6. Ceylan T., Akin A., Karabulut A. et al. Therapeutic effect of thymoquinone on brain damage caused by nonylphenol exposure in rats // J. Biochem. Mol. Toxicol. 2023. V. 37. P. e23471.
  7. Cobley J., Fiorello M., Bailey D. 13 reasons why the brain is susceptible to oxidative stress // Redox Biol. 2018. V. 15. P. 490–503.
  8. Cobourne-Duval M., Taka E., Mendonca P., Soliman K. Thymoquinone increases the expression of neuroprotective proteins while decreasing the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the gene expression NF-кB pathway signaling targets in LPS/IFNγ-activated BV-2 microglia cells // J. Neuroimmunol. 2018. V. 320. P. 87–97.
  9. Dong J., Zhang X., Wang S. et al. Thymoquinone prevents dopaminergic neurodegeneration by attenuating oxidative stress via the Nrf2/ARE pathway // Front. Pharmacol. 2021. V. 11. P. 11615598.
  10. Farkhondeh T., Samarghandian S., Shahri A., Samini F. The neuroprotective effects of thymoquinone: a review // Dose Response. 2018. V. 16. P. 1559325818761455.
  11. Thériauit F., Gardner W., Momoli F. et al. Mental health service use in depressed military personnel: a systematic review // Mil. Med. 2020. V. 185. P. e1255–e1262.
  12. Hosseini M., Zakeri S., Khoshdas S. et al. The effects of Nigella sativa hydro-alcoholic extract and thymoquinone on lipopolysaccharide-induced depression like behavior in rats // J. Pharm. Bioallied Sci. 2012. V. 4. P. 219–225.
  13. Isaev N., Chetverikov N., Stelmashook E. et al. Thymoquinone as potential neuroprotector in acute and chronic forms of cerebral pathology // Biochemictry. 2020. V. 85. P. 167–176.
  14. Isaev N., Genrikhs E., Stelmashook E. Antioxidant thymoquinone and its potential in the treatment of neurological diseases // Antioxidants. 2023. V. 12. P. 433.
  15. Ismail N., Ismail M., Mazlan M. et al. Thymoquinone prevents β-amyloid neurotoxicity in primary cultured cerebellar granule neurons // Cell. Mol. Neurobiol. 2013. V. 33. P. 1159–1169.
  16. Kanter М. Nigella sativa and derived thymoqinone prevents hippocampal neurodegeneration after chronic toluene exposure in rats // Neurochem. Res. 2008. V. 33. P. 579–588.
  17. Khan A., Vaibhav K., Javed H. et al. Attenuation of Aβ-induced neurotoxicity by thymoquinone via inhibition of mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress // Mol. Cell. Biochem. 2012. V. 369. P. 55–65.
  18. Khan F., Mostaid S., Apu M. Molecular signaling pathway targeted therapeutic potential of thymoquinone in Alzheimer’s disease // Heliyon. 2022. V. 8. P. e09874.
  19. Krewenska С., Rizzi S., Nguyen C. et al. Radical scavenging is not involved in thymoquinone-induced cell protection in neural oxidative stress models // Antioxidants. 2023. V. 12. P. 858.
  20. Rahmani A., Maleki V., Niknafs B. et al. Effect of Nigella sativa supplementation on kidney function, glycemic control, oxidative stress, inflammation, quality of live, and depression in diabetic hemodialysis patients: study protocol for a double-blind randomized controlled trial // Trials. 2022. V. 23. P. 111.
  21. Sadeghi E., Imenshahidi M., Hosseeinzadeh H. Molecular mechanisms and signaling pathhwas of black cumin (Nigella sativa) and its active constituent, thymoquinone: a review // Mol. Biol. Rep. 2023. V. 50. P. 5439– 5454.
  22. Samarghandian S., Farkhondeh T., Samini F. A review on possible therapeutic effect of Nigella sativa and thymoquinone in neurodegenerative diseases // CNS Neurol. Disord. Drug Targets. 2018. V. 17. P. 412–420.
  23. Taysi S., Algburi F., Mohammed Z. et al. Thymoquinone: a review on its pharmacological important and its association with oxidative stress, COVID-19 and radiotherapy // Mini Rev. Med. Chem. 2022. V. 22. P. 1847–1875.

Supplementary files

Supplementary Files
Action
1. JATS XML
Download

Copyright (c) 2024 Russian Academy of Sciences