[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-376422-105":59,"doc-detail-376422-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":123,"head_meta":125,"extra_data":127,"updated_unix":129},105,"en","targeting-cancer-through-thymoquinone-from-molecular-mechanisms-to-clinical-prospects","Targeting Cancer Through Thymoquinone - From Molecular Mechanisms to Clinical Prospects","","Thymoquinone (TQ), an active compound from Nigella sativa (black seed), demonstrates promising anti-cancer activity across many laboratory studies. This review summarizes how TQ influences cancer cell growth, spread, death, inflammation, and immune system responses, and explains its potential to counter major treatment barriers such as chemoresistance. It further covers effects on cancer stem cells, the tumor microenvironment, and epigenetic gene regulation, while addressing limited human evidence and the need to improve bioavailability through delivery strategies like nanoparticles or carriers.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":35,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/healthcare/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/targeting-cancer-through-thymoquinone-from-molecular-mechanisms-to-clinical-prospects/376422/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/targeting-cancer-through-thymoquinone-from-molecular-mechanisms-to-clinical-prospects/376422.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"kopisore","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-25","2026-09-24",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":39},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"What anti-cancer actions does thymoquinone (TQ) have according to the review?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"The review describes effects on stopping cancer cell growth and spread, triggering cancer cell death, reducing inflammation, and supporting immune system activity against cancer.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"How might TQ help with chemotherapy resistance and combination treatments?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"The review highlights that TQ may overcome chemoresistance and can improve the effects of chemotherapy, radiation, or immunotherapy in preclinical models while reducing harmful side effects.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"What major gaps and challenges remain before TQ can be used in real-world cancer care?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"The review notes a lack of human studies and points to limited absorption, proposing delivery improvements such as nanoparticles or other carriers, alongside a call for clinical studies.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},376422,1790779551,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":34,"category_name":35,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":39,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":139,"language":140,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":144,"read_time":145},962090880963,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_6f874abed73319feea01a86fa6f0fab8","Review  \nTargeting Cancer Through Thymoquinone: From Molecular Mechanisms to Clinical Prospects  \nNosayba Al-Damook 1,2, Molham Sakkal 1,2, Mostafa Khair 3, Walaa K. Mousa 1,2, Ghalia Khoder 4,5 and Rose Ghemrawi 1,2, *  \nAcademic Editor: Guan-Jhong Huang  \nReceived: 20 October 2025  \nRevised: 6 November 2025  \nAccepted: 10 November 2025  \nPublished: 14 November 2025  \nCitation: Al-Damook, N.; Sakkal, M.; Khair, M.; Mousa, W.K.; Khoder, G.; Ghemrawi, R. Targeting Cancer Through Thymoquinone: From Molecular Mechanisms to Clinical Prospects. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26, 11029. [https://doi.org/10.3390/](https://doi.org/10.3390/)[ ](https://doi.org/10.3390/)ijms262211029  \nCopyright: © 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license ([https://creativecommons.org/](https://creativecommons.org/)[ ](https://creativecommons.org/)[licenses/by/4.0/](licenses/by/4.0/)) .  \n1 College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi P.O. Box 112612, United Arab Emirates; [nosayba.aldamook@aau.ac.ae](nosayba.aldamook@aau.ac.ae) (N.A.-D.); [molham.sakkal@gmail.com](molham.sakkal@gmail.com) (M.S.); [walaa.mousa@aau.ac.ae](walaa.mousa@aau.ac.ae) (W.K.M.)  \n2 AAU Health and Biomedical Research Center, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi P.O. Box 112612, United Arab Emirates  \n3 Core Technology Platforms, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi P.O. Box 129188, United Arab Emirates; [mrk6@nyu.edu](mrk6@nyu.edu)  \n4 Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceuticals Technology, College of Pharmacy, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates; [gkhoder@sharjah.ac.ae](gkhoder@sharjah.ac.ae)  \n5 Sharjah Institute for Medical Research, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates  \n* Correspondence: [rose.ghemrawi@aau.ac.ae](rose.ghemrawi@aau.ac.ae)  \nAbstract  \nThymoquinone (TQ), the active compound in Nigella sativa (black seed), has shown promising effects against cancer in many laboratory studies. In this review, we explore how TQ works on different aspects of cancer, from stopping cancer cell growth and spread, to triggering cancer cell death, reducing inflammation, and helping the immune system fight back. We also highlight how TQ may overcome one of the biggest problems in cancer treatment—chemoresistance. When used together with common treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, or immunotherapy, TQ has been shown to improve their effects and reduce harmful side effects in preclinical models. Our review further discusses how TQ affects cancer stem cells, the tumor environment, and gene regulation through epigenetics. While these findings are encouraging, the lack of human studies remains a major gap. We also address TQ’s limited absorption and suggest ways to improve its delivery in the body, such as using nanoparticles or other carriers. Through this review, we aim to show the wide-ranging potential of TQ as a natural compound that may help make cancer treatments more effective and better tolerated. We call for clinical studies to take this research further and bring TQ closer to use in real-world cancer care.  \nKeywords: Thymoquinone; cancer therapy; chemotherapy resistance; combination therapy; anticancer agents  \n1. Introduction  \nDespite significant advancements in oncology, the global burden of cancer continues to escalate, underscoring the critical need for innovative and effective treatment approaches [1] . According to the American Cancer Society’s 2025 statistics, over two million new cancer cases are anticipated in the United States alone, with more than 600,000 related deaths expected this year [2] .  \nThe development of new cancer therapies faces numerous challenges, primarily stemming from the aggressive and complex nature of cancer cells, characterized by rapid proliferation, local tissue invasion, and high metastatic potential. These traits demand early  \ndete","cbCain607XTAve2Z","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCain607XTAve2Z","pdf",805814,23,"English","# Abstract\n# Keywords\n# 1. Introduction\n## Cancer burden and treatment needs\n## Chemotherapy limitations and side effects\n## Natural compounds and multi-target potential of TQ\n## Preclinical mechanisms and combination therapy rationale","[{\"question\":\"What anti-cancer actions does thymoquinone (TQ) have according to the review?\",\"answer\":\"The review describes effects on stopping cancer cell growth and spread, triggering cancer cell death, reducing inflammation, and supporting immune system activity against cancer.\"},{\"question\":\"How might TQ help with chemotherapy resistance and combination treatments?\",\"answer\":\"The review highlights that TQ may overcome chemoresistance and can improve the effects of chemotherapy, radiation, or immunotherapy in preclinical models while reducing harmful side effects.\"},{\"question\":\"What major gaps and challenges remain before TQ can be used in real-world cancer care?\",\"answer\":\"The review notes a lack of human studies and points to limited absorption, proposing delivery improvements such as nanoparticles or other carriers, alongside a call for clinical studies.\"}]","Targeting Cancer Through Thymoquinone - From Molecular Mechanisms to Clinical Prospects | PDF",1790219073,58]