Screening of Thymoquinone Content in Commercial <i>Nigella sativa</i> Products to Identify a Promising and Safe Study Medication
(1) Background: Thymoquinone (TQ) is the leading compound accounting for the pharmacological effects of <i>Nigella sativa</i> seed oil, also known as black seed oil. This study aimed to analyze the TQ content of commercial black seed oils and black seed oil-containing capsules to obtain...
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MDPI AG
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Nutrients |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/17/3501 |
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| author | Elisabeth Khaikin Sigrun Chrubasik-Hausmann Sebahat Kaya Benno F. Zimmermann |
| author_facet | Elisabeth Khaikin Sigrun Chrubasik-Hausmann Sebahat Kaya Benno F. Zimmermann |
| author_sort | Elisabeth Khaikin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | (1) Background: Thymoquinone (TQ) is the leading compound accounting for the pharmacological effects of <i>Nigella sativa</i> seed oil, also known as black seed oil. This study aimed to analyze the TQ content of commercial black seed oils and black seed oil-containing capsules to obtain information on the quality of the products and to find a promising and safe study medication for a putative clinical study. (2) Methods: Six black seed oils and five black seed oil-containing capsules were analyzed. TQ was quantified using a validated method consisting of a simple methanolic extraction and a fast HPLC-UV analysis. (3) Results: The TQ content varied from 3.08 to 809.4 mg/100 g (mean). The highest TQ content was found in a bottled oil, which might be considered for a clinical study. A dose of 4 mL of this oil per day contains 30 mg TQ, which is unlikely to be harmful. Based on the literature, a safe daily TQ dosage appears to be <48.6 mg per adult. (4) Conclusions: These findings suggest that black seed products should be regulated regarding TQ content to enable consumers to buy black seed food supplements of known content for the maintenance and improvement of health. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:25:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6c7e578beceb481287d8bd183bd4600b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6643 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:25:53Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-6c7e578beceb481287d8bd183bd4600b2023-11-23T13:51:31ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432022-08-011417350110.3390/nu14173501Screening of Thymoquinone Content in Commercial <i>Nigella sativa</i> Products to Identify a Promising and Safe Study MedicationElisabeth Khaikin0Sigrun Chrubasik-Hausmann1Sebahat Kaya2Benno F. Zimmermann3Institute of Nutritional and Food Sciences, Food Sciences, University of Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 166a, 53115 Bonn, GermanyInstitute of Forensic Medicine, University of Freiburg, Albertstr. 9, 79104 Freiburg, GermanyDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Plastic Surgery, University of Mainz, Augustusplatz 2, 55131 Mainz, GermanyInstitute of Nutritional and Food Sciences, Food Sciences, University of Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 166a, 53115 Bonn, Germany(1) Background: Thymoquinone (TQ) is the leading compound accounting for the pharmacological effects of <i>Nigella sativa</i> seed oil, also known as black seed oil. This study aimed to analyze the TQ content of commercial black seed oils and black seed oil-containing capsules to obtain information on the quality of the products and to find a promising and safe study medication for a putative clinical study. (2) Methods: Six black seed oils and five black seed oil-containing capsules were analyzed. TQ was quantified using a validated method consisting of a simple methanolic extraction and a fast HPLC-UV analysis. (3) Results: The TQ content varied from 3.08 to 809.4 mg/100 g (mean). The highest TQ content was found in a bottled oil, which might be considered for a clinical study. A dose of 4 mL of this oil per day contains 30 mg TQ, which is unlikely to be harmful. Based on the literature, a safe daily TQ dosage appears to be <48.6 mg per adult. (4) Conclusions: These findings suggest that black seed products should be regulated regarding TQ content to enable consumers to buy black seed food supplements of known content for the maintenance and improvement of health.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/17/3501thymoquinone<i>Nigella sativa</i>black seed oilHPLCfood supplement |
| spellingShingle | Elisabeth Khaikin Sigrun Chrubasik-Hausmann Sebahat Kaya Benno F. Zimmermann Screening of Thymoquinone Content in Commercial <i>Nigella sativa</i> Products to Identify a Promising and Safe Study Medication Nutrients thymoquinone <i>Nigella sativa</i> black seed oil HPLC food supplement |
| title | Screening of Thymoquinone Content in Commercial <i>Nigella sativa</i> Products to Identify a Promising and Safe Study Medication |
| title_full | Screening of Thymoquinone Content in Commercial <i>Nigella sativa</i> Products to Identify a Promising and Safe Study Medication |
| title_fullStr | Screening of Thymoquinone Content in Commercial <i>Nigella sativa</i> Products to Identify a Promising and Safe Study Medication |
| title_full_unstemmed | Screening of Thymoquinone Content in Commercial <i>Nigella sativa</i> Products to Identify a Promising and Safe Study Medication |
| title_short | Screening of Thymoquinone Content in Commercial <i>Nigella sativa</i> Products to Identify a Promising and Safe Study Medication |
| title_sort | screening of thymoquinone content in commercial i nigella sativa i products to identify a promising and safe study medication |
| topic | thymoquinone <i>Nigella sativa</i> black seed oil HPLC food supplement |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/17/3501 |
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