Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Sivas Cumhuriyet University Early Career Neuroscience Winter Symposium, Sivas, Türkiye, 19 - 21 Aralık 2025, (Yayınlanmadı)
Nigella sativa L. (black cumin) is an important
medicinal plant used for therapeutic purposes throughout history. Thymoquinone
(2-isopropyl-5-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone), which has been used in various ways
since ancient times, has a wide range of pharmacological effects, including
antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunotherapy, cardioprotective, and
neuroprotective properties. Thymoquinone has been reported to have demonstrated
therapeutic potential in cancer, diabetes, hypertension, gastrointestinal
diseases, and particularly in neurodegenerative diseases. Oxidative stress,
treatment, and neurotransmitter imbalances, particularly deficiencies in the
serotonin system, play key roles in neurodegenerative pathophysiology.
Therefore, research into the neuroprotective effects of naturally occurring
bioactive compounds has gained momentum in recent years.
Thymoquinone; therapeutic benefits have been demonstrated in both in
vitro and in vivo models in various neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric
diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, epilepsy, ischemia, and traumatic
brain injury. However, several biopharmaceutical hurdles limit the translation
of thymoquinone into clinical applications. Its low water depletion, rapid
elimination, photostability, and low oral bioavailability constitute
significant limitations to effective pharmacotherapy. Furthermore, the
blood-brain barrier is not a significant visible barrier in the central nervous
system circuitry. To overcome these challenges, nanotechnological therapeutic
drug delivery systems have become an intense area of research in recent
years. Nanocarrier systems that eliminate polymeric, lipidic, or surface
properties provide the attenuation and stability of thymokin, as well as
controlled release. Furthermore, targeted nanoparticles facilitate passage
across the blood-brain barrier, enhancing the delivery of thymoquinone to brain
tissue and neurotherapeutic intervention.
This study summarizes the pharmacokinetic and therapeutic implications
of in vivo and in vitro evaluations of the neuroprotective potential of Nigella
sativa and thymoquinone combined with nanocarrier systems. The available
data suggest that thymoquinone nanoformulations are promising and compelling
candidates for neurodegenerative therapies and form the basis for future
clinical application.
Keywords: Thymoquinone, Nigella sativa, Nanocarrier
systems, Neuroprotection