Nigella sativa and Its Bioactive Compound Thymoquinone in Burn Therapy: Mechanisms, Efficacy, and Safety

INTRODUCTION: Burn injuries represent a worldwide public health concern. Nigella sativa (NS), a herbal medicinal plant, widely used in Ayurveda, Unani, and Siddha holds potential to address this issue. This review evaluated the potential of NS extract and its key component, Thymoquinone (TQ), in accelerating burn wound healing, focusing on their mechanisms, safety, and efficacy. METHODS: Studies were retrieved from PubMed, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect using keywords "Nigella sativa," "Thymoquinone," "burns," and "wound healing." Reports were screened for suitability, and the scientific name was verified on www.worldfloraonline.org. RESULTS: NS extract and TQ accelerate burn wound healing in vitro and in vivo through various mechanisms involving anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, anti-microbial, and tissue regenerative effects. TQ achieved 91.35% wound closure in NIH/3T3 cells and wound closure rate of 2.35% ± 0.05% in 3T3-CCL92 cells. It also reduced oxidative stress and inflammation in murine burn models. Nanoformulations of TQ showed higher safety (LD50: 300-2000 mg/kg) than pure TQ (LD50: 50-300 mg/kg). A Phase I trial confirmed the safety of black cumin oil (5% TQ) at 200 mg/day for 90 days in healthy adults. CONCLUSION: Formulations based on NS extract and TQ can manage burn injuries and be extrapolated into clinical settings.