According to a new in vitro cell study and review on thymoquinone, a phytochemical compound derived from black seed (Nigella sativa) oil, this ingredient may beneficially modulate innate immune system function when presented with viral challenges, according to in vitro evidence. The specific
 
During the study, the compounds was compared against a variety of other well-known compounds evidenced to modulate the immune response, including curcumin, and was found to perform the best out of all compounds evaluated, acting directly against viral entry in a way that the researchers believe could improve health outcomes.
 
The study, “Computational and Experimental Studies Reveal that Thymoquinone Blocks the Entry of Coronaviruses Into In Vitro Cells,” published in the journal Infectious Diseases and Therapy, found that, in cells in an in vitro setting, thymoquinone was able to inhibit the activity of ACE2, thereby inhibiting coronaviruses from utilizing this enzyme to infect human cells via spike proteins. This inhibitory effect was significant in cells that were exposed to pseudoparticles of SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, and NL63-CoV.
 
“Thymoquinone is potentially a broad-spectrum inhibitor for the treatment of coronavirus infections by blocking the binding of the viral S-protein to the cellular receptor ACE2, thus blocking viral entry into the host cell,” the authors of the study concluded. “The inhibition is strongly dose-dependent[…] further testing of thymoquinone is needed to establish its drug candidacy because it is a well-known [pan-assay interference compound].”
 
“This latest study is just one more confirmation that thymoquinone is the most powerful solution to safely boost and balance the body’s immune response,” Ken Redcross, MD, said in an announcement of the study by TriNutra, developer of black seed oil supplement ThymoQuin. “The study solidifies thymoquinone’s ability to strengthen cellular immunity and compares thymoquinone positively against other known immune upport actives. Thymoquinone, the main component of black seed oils like ThymoQuin, out-performed all other activities in the peer-reviewed publication.”
 
TriNutra reports that the results of the study further solidify the importance of delivering high-quality black seed oil – the company spent years cultivating and developing a breed of Nigella sativa that has a higher-than-typical thymoquinone content. The oil is extracted using a patented cold-press process, standardized to 3% thymoquinone with very low free fatty acid. The composition of the oil makes it optimized to deliver therapeutic benefits beyond what other black seed oils can accomplish, TriNutra said.
 
“Taken daily as directed, safe, all-natural and non-GMO ThymoQuin offers the highest level of thymoquinone per dose in a full spectrum oil,” Redcross said. “Patented ThymoQuin also demonstrates the strongest antioxidant and inflammatory-regulating benefits found in a non-drug substance.”