Antineoplastic Effects of Thymoquinone on Pancreatic Atypical Acinar Cell Foci Treated With Azaserine

TL;DR

This study shows that thymoquinone, a compound from black cumin seeds, reduces cancer-like changes in rat pancreas cells caused by azaserine.

Contribution

The first investigation of thymoquinone's antineoplastic effects on azaserine-induced pancreatic atypical acinar cell foci in rats.

Findings

Thymoquinone significantly reduced the AACF load compared to the azaserine-only group.

Antineoplastic effects were observed whether thymoquinone was administered early or after AACF formation.

Thymoquinone's effects support its potential as an anticarcinogenic agent in pancreatic cancer prevention.

Abstract

The antineoplastic effects of thymoquinone (TQ) (which has antioxidant and anticarcinogenic effects) on neoplastic changes (atypical acinar cell foci, AACF) induced by azaserine were investigated, for the first time. Rats were randomly divided into five groups of 10 rats each (Cont, Tim, Az, AzTim1, and AzTim2). The Cont group was fed only with a standard diet. TQ (50 mg/L) was given orally (P.O.) to the Tim, AzTim1, and AzTim2 groups. TQ was given to Tim and AzTim1 after the first month, while AzTim2 group rats were given after the third month of azaserine injection, when AACFs began to form. Azaserine was injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) (30 mg/kg bw) to 2‐weeks‐old Wistar albino male rats in the Az, AzTim1, and AzTim2 groups. AACF load were observed to be statistically significantly higher in all categories in the Az group compared to the Cont group (p < 0.05). AACF load were statistically significantly lower in all TQ groups (AzTim1 and AzTim2) compared to the Az group and it was demonstrated with TQ‐containing diet administration. This decrease indicates the antineoplastic effect of TQ on AACF and supports previous studies.

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the antioxidant and anticarcinogenic effects of TQ, which has many traditional uses and is naturally found in Nigella sativa seeds, on the neoplastic changes induced by azaserine in exocrine pancreatic acinar cells. For this purpose, the anticarcinogenic effects of TQ given in the early period when AACFs were not yet formed (first month) and in the late period after AACFs were formed (third month) were investigated.

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