Consumer transparency in the production chain for plant varieties produced using new genomic techniques.

Plants edited with new genomic techniques (NGTs) currently fall under the Genetically Modified Organisms Directive (2001/18/EC) in the European Union. In the proposal of the European Commission, NGT plants are partially exempted from the regulations of this directive. The proposal makes a distinction between two categories of NGT plants: NGT-1 and NGT-2. NGT-1 category plants are considered equal to plants obtained through conventional breeding methods. These plants will not be labelled for the consumer, although they will be labelled as seeds. NGT-2 category plants may be labelled with additional information as a positive incentive. Labelling of seeds of varieties made with gene editing, but not the products, would mean that most steps in the production chain are transparent, but not the last step towards consumers. The "right to know" and increasing knowledge of gene-edited food is a common theme in food labelling towards consumers. Here, we describe current labelling regimes and registers and how these may be applied to provide transparency on gene-edited products to consumers. Furthermore, we also look into consumer studies, which indicate a greater acceptance of gene-edited food among consumers, especially when additional benefits such as sustainability are mentioned.

Green Separation by Using Nanofiltration of Tristerix tetrandus Fruits and Identification of Its Bioactive Molecules through MS/MS Spectrometry.

Membrane technology allows the separation of active compounds, providing an alternative to conventional methods such as column chromatography, liquid-liquid extraction, and solid-liquid extraction. The nanofiltration of a Muérdago (Tristerix tetrandus Mart.) fruit juice was realized to recover valuable metabolites using three different membranes (DL, NFW, and NDX (molecular weight cut-offs (MWCOs): 150~300, 300~500, and 500~700 Da, respectively)). The metabolites were identified by ESI-MS/MS. The results showed that the target compounds were effectively fractionated according to their different molecular weights (MWs). The tested membranes showed retention percentages (RPs) of up to 100% for several phenolics. However, lower RPs appeared in the case of coumaric acid (84.51 ± 6.43% (DL), 2.64 ± 2.21% (NFW), 51.95 ± 1.23% (NDX)) and some other phenolics. The RPs observed for the phenolics cryptochlorogenic acid and chlorogenic acid were 99.74 ± 0.21 and 99.91 ± 0.01% (DL membrane), 96.85 ± 0.83 and 99.20 ± 0.05% (NFW membrane), and 92.98 ± 2.34 and 98.65 ± 0.00% (NDX membrane), respectively. The phenolic quantification was realized by UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS. The DL membrane allowed the permeation of amino acids with the MW range of about 300~100 Da (aspartic acid, proline, tryptophan). This membrane allowed the highest permeate flux (22.10-27.73 L/m2h), followed by the membranes NDX (16.44-20.82 L/m2h) and NFW (12.40-14.45 L/m2h). Moreover, the DL membrane allowed the highest recovery of total compounds in the permeate during the concentration process (19.33%), followed by the membranes NFW (16.28%) and NDX (14.02%). Permeate fractions containing phenolics and amino acids were identified in the membrane permeates DL (10 metabolites identified), NFW (13 metabolites identified), and NDX (10 metabolites identified). Particularly, tryptophan was identified only in the DL permeate fractions obtained. Leucine and isoleucine were identified only in the NFW permeate fractions, whereas methionine and arginine were identified only in the NDX ones. Liquid permeates of great interest to the food and pharmaceutical industries were obtained from plant resources and are suitable for future process optimization and scale-up.

An alkaloidal fraction of Annona tomentosa possesses anthelmintic activity and induces surface modifications in Haemonchus contortus.

The nematode Haemonchus contortus is, as a parasite, responsible for most mortality of small ruminants, causing significant economic losses. Numerous plant-derived compounds have exhibited promising anthelmintic activities against this nematode. Notably, the Annona genus stands out for demonstrated anthelmintic effects by extracts from several of its species against different nematodes. This study aimed to assess the effect of an Annona tomentosa fraction, rich in alkaloids, on H. contortus. This fraction, named Alk.F, is derived from the methanolic extract of the plant's stem bark. Chemical characterization of Alk.F was performed by liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Among the nine predominant peaks obtained, seven alkaloids were identified: reticuline, reticuline N-oxide, reticuline N-oxide isomer, cyclanoline, asimilobine, tetrahydropalmatine and anonaine. Alk.F inhibited the larval development of H. contortus with an IC50 of 0.026 mg/mL, inhibited larval exsheathment with an IC50 of 0.38 mg/mL, and displayed low hemolytic activity towards sheep erythrocytes. Furthermore, atomic force microscopy revealed that Alk.F altered adhesive forces and the height profile on the surface of H. contortus larvae. In conclusion, A. tomentosa alkaloids alter the cuticle structure of H. contortus, inhibiting larval development and exsheathment, thus offering possibilities for contributing to the development of new anthelmintic drugs.

Research progress on the role of macrophages in acne and regulation by natural plant products.

Acne vulgaris is one of the most common skin diseases. The current understanding of acne primarily revolves around inflammatory responses, sebum metabolism disorders, aberrant hormone and receptor expression, colonization by Cutibacterium acnes, and abnormal keratinization of follicular sebaceous glands. Although the precise mechanism of action remains incompletely understood, it is plausible that macrophages exert an influence on these pathological features. Macrophages, as a constituent of the human innate immune system, typically manifest distinct phenotypes across various diseases. It has been observed that the polarization of macrophages toward the M1 phenotype plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of acne. In recent years, extensive research on acne has revealed an increasing number of natural remedies exhibiting therapeutic efficacy through the modulation of macrophage polarization. This review investigates the role of cutaneous macrophages, elucidates their potential significance in the pathogenesis of acne, a prevalent chronic inflammatory skin disorder, and explores the therapeutic mechanisms of natural plant products targeting macrophages. Despite these insights, the precise role of macrophages in the pathogenesis of acne remains poorly elucidated. Subsequent investigations in this domain will further illuminate the pathogenesis of acne and potentially offer guidance for identifying novel therapeutic targets for this condition.

Phenolic Compounds Profile and Antioxidant Capacity of Plant-Based Protein Supplements.

The study aimed to determine the phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of five protein supplements of plant origin. The content and profile of phenolics were determined using the UHPLC-DAD-MS method, while antioxidant capacity (ABTS and DPPH assays) and total phenolic content (TPC) were evaluated using spectrophotometric tests. In the analyzed proteins, twenty-five polyphenols were detected, including eleven phenolic acids, thirteen flavonoids, and one ellagitannin. Hemp protein revealed the highest individual phenolics content and TPC value (1620 µg/g and 1.79 mg GAE/g, respectively). Also, hemp protein showed the highest antioxidant activity determined via ABTS (9.37 µmol TE/g) and DPPH (9.01 µmol TE/g) assays. The contents of p-coumaric acid, m-coumaric acid, kaempferol, rutin, isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, and TPC value were significantly correlated with antioxidant activity assays. Our findings indicate that plant-based protein supplements are a valuable source of phenols and can also be used in research related to precision medicine, nutrigenetics, and nutrigenomics. This will benefit future health promotion and personalized nutrition in the prevention of chronic diseases.

Advancements in research on the immune-inflammatory mechanisms mediated by NLRP3 inflammasome in ischemic stroke and the regulatory role of natural plant products.

Ischemic stroke (IS) is a major cause of mortality and disability among adults. Recanalization of blood vessels to facilitate timely reperfusion is the primary clinical approach; however, reperfusion itself may trigger cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. Emerging evidence strongly implicates the NLRP3 inflammasome as a potential therapeutic target, playing a key role in cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury. The aberrant expression and function of NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated inflammation in cerebral ischemia have garnered considerable attention as a recent research focus. Accordingly, this review provides a comprehensive summary of the signaling pathways, pathological mechanisms, and intricate interactions involving NLRP3 inflammasomes in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. Moreover, notable progress has been made in investigating the impact of natural plant products (e.g., Proanthocyanidins, methylliensinine, salidroside, α-asarone, acacia, curcumin, morin, ginsenoside Rd, paeoniflorin, breviscapine, sulforaphane, etc.) on regulating cerebral ischemia and reperfusion by modulating the NLRP3 inflammasome and mitigating the release of inflammatory cytokines. These findings aim to present novel insights that could contribute to the prevention and treatment of cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury.

Substitution of fishmeal: Highlights of potential plant protein sources for aquaculture sustainability.

High protein content, excellent amino acid profile, absence of anti-nutritional factors (ANFs), high digestibility and good palatability of fishmeal (FM), make it a major source of protein in aquaculture. Naturally derived FM is at risk due to an increase in its demand, unsustainable practices, and price. Thus, there is an urgent need to find affordable and suitable protein sources to replace FM. Plant protein sources are suitable due to their widespread availability and low cost. However, they contained certain ANFs, deficiency of some amino acids, low nutrient bioavailability and poor digestibility due to presence of starch and fiber. These unfavourable characteristics make them less suitable for feed as compared to FM. Thus, these potential challenges and limitations associated with various plant proteins have to be overcome by using different methods, i.e. enzymatic pretreatments, solvent extraction, heat treatments and fermentation, that are discussed briefly in this review. This review assessed the impacts of plant products on growth performance, body composition, flesh quality, changes in metabolic activities and immune response of fishes. To minimize the negative effects and to enhance nutritional value of plant products, beneficial functional additives such as citric acid, phytase and probiotics could be incorporated into the plant-based FM. Interestingly, these additives improve growth of fishes by increasing digestibility and nutrient utilization of plant based feeds. Overall, this review demonstrated that the substitution of fishmeal by plant protein sources is a plausible, technically-viable and practical option for sustainable aquaculture feed production.

High-Pressure Processing of Fruit Smoothies Enriched with Dietary Fiber from Carrot Discards: Effects on the Contents and Bioaccessibilities of Carotenoids and Vitamin E.

The effects of high-pressure processing (HPP) (450 MPa/600 MPa/3 min) on the carotenoid and vitamin E contents of smoothies made from strawberry, orange juice, banana and apple, and the same smoothies enriched with dietary fiber from discarded carrots were compared. The contents and bioaccessibilities of these compounds were also evaluated over the course of 28 days at 4 °C. The application of HPP in the formulations significantly increased the contents of ß-cryptoxanthin, α-carotene and ß-carotene and retained the contents of lutein, zeaxanthin and vitamin E compared to untreated samples. A decreasing trend in the content of each compound was observed with an increase in storage time. The application of HPP initially led to reductions in the bioaccessibility of individual compounds. However, overall, during storage, there was an increase in bioaccessibility. This suggests that HPP influences cell structure, favoring compound release and micelle formation. HPP is a sustainable method that preserves or enhances carotenoid extractability in ready-to-drink fruit beverages. Furthermore, the incorporation of dietary fiber from carrot processing discards supports circular economy practices and enhances the health potential of the product.

Antiviral Natural Products, Their Mechanisms of Action and Potential Applications as Sanitizers and Disinfectants.

Plant extracts, natural products and plant oils contain natural virucidal actives that can be used to replace active ingredients in commercial sanitizers and disinfectants. This review focuses on the virucidal mechanisms of natural substances that may exhibit potential for indoor air and fomite disinfection. Review of scientific studies indicates: (1) most natural product studies use crude extracts and do not isolate or identify exact active antiviral substances; (2) many natural product studies contain unclear explanations of virucidal mechanisms of action; (3) natural product evaluations of virucidal activity should include methods that validate efficacy under standardized disinfectant testing procedures (e.g., carrier tests on applicable surfaces or activity against aerosolized viruses, etc.). The development of natural product disinfectants requires a better understanding of the mechanisms of action (MOA), chemical profiles, compound specificities, activity spectra, and the chemical formulations required for maximum activity. Combinations of natural antiviral substances and possibly the addition of synthetic compounds might be needed to increase inactivation of a broader spectrum of viruses, thereby providing the required efficacy for surface and air disinfection.

Research progress in the molecular mechanism of ferroptosis in Parkinson's disease and regulation by natural plant products.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder of the central nervous system after Alzheimer's disease. The current understanding of PD focuses mainly on the loss of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra region of the midbrain, which is attributed to factors such as oxidative stress, alpha-synuclein aggregation, neuroinflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. These factors together contribute to the PD phenotype. Recent studies on PD pathology have introduced a new form of cell death known as ferroptosis. Pathological changes closely linked with ferroptosis have been seen in the brain tissues of PD patients, including alterations in iron metabolism, lipid peroxidation, and increased levels of reactive oxygen species. Preclinical research has demonstrated the neuroprotective qualities of certain iron chelators, antioxidants, Fer-1, and conditioners in Parkinson's disease. Natural plant products have shown significant potential in balancing ferroptosis-related factors and adjusting their expression levels. Therefore, it is vital to understand the mechanisms by which natural plant products inhibit ferroptosis and relieve PD symptoms. This review provides a comprehensive look at ferroptosis, its role in PD pathology, and the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of natural plant products focused on ferroptosis. The insights from this review can serve as useful references for future research on novel ferroptosis inhibitors and lead compounds for PD treatment.

Using plants in forensics: State-of-the-art and prospects.

The increasing use of plant evidence in forensic investigations gave rise to a powerful new discipline - Forensic Botany - that analyses micro- or macroscopic plant materials, such as the totality or fragments of an organ (i.e., leaves, stems, seeds, fruits, roots) and tissue (i.e., pollen grains, spores, fibers, cork) or its chemical composition (i. e., secondary metabolites, isotopes, DNA, starch grains). Forensic botanists frequently use microscopy, chemical analysis, and botanical expertise to identify and interpret evidence crucial to solving civil and criminal issues, collaborating in enforcing laws or regulations, and ensuring public health safeguards. The present work comprehensively examines the current state and future potential of Forensic Botany. The first section conveys the critical steps of plant evidence collection, documentation, and preservation, emphasizing the importance of these initial steps in maintaining the integrity of the items. It explores the different molecular analyses, covering the identification of plant species and varieties or cultivars, and discusses the limitations and challenges of these techniques in forensics. The subsequent section covers the diversity of Forensic Botany approaches, examining how plant evidence exposes food and pharmaceutical frauds, uncovers insufficient or erroneous labeling, traces illegal drug trafficking routes, and combats the illegal collection or trade of protected species and derivatives. National and global security issues, including the implications of biological warfare, bioterrorism, and biocrime are addressed, and a review of the contributions of plant evidence in crime scene investigations is provided, synthesizing a comprehensive overview of the diverse facets of Forensic Botany.

Mechanisms of ferroptosis in Alzheimer's disease and therapeutic effects of natural plant products: A review.

Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), are characterized by massive loss of specific neurons. It is a progressive disabling, severe and fatal complex disease. Due to its complex pathogenesis and limitations of clinical treatment strategies, it poses a serious medical challenge and medical burden worldwide. The pathogenesis of AD is not clear, and its potential biological mechanisms include aggregation of soluble amyloid to form insoluble amyloid plaques, abnormal phosphorylation of tau protein and formation of intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), neuroinflammation, ferroptosis, oxidative stress and metal ion disorders. Among them, ferroptosis is a newly discovered programmed cell death induced by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation and reactive oxygen species. Recent studies have shown that ferroptosis is closely related to AD, but the mechanism remains unclear. It may be induced by iron metabolism, amino acid metabolism and lipid metabolism affecting the accumulation of iron ions. Some iron chelating agents (deferoxamine, deferiprone), chloroiodohydroxyquine and its derivatives, antioxidants (vitamin E, lipoic acid, selenium), chloroiodohydroxyquine and its derivatives Fer-1, tet, etc. have been shown in animal studies to be effective in AD and exert neuroprotective effects. This review summarizes the mechanism of ferroptosis in AD and the regulation of natural plant products on ferroptosis in AD, in order to provide reference information for future research on the development of ferroptosis inhibitors.

Assessment of Heme and Non-Heme Iron Intake and Its Dietary Sources among Adults in Armenia.

Adequate dietary iron (Fe) intake is crucial for preventing Fe-deficient anemia, a recognized global public health concern which is important in Armenia. This study aimed to analyze the intake of Fe, both heme (from animal tissues) and non-heme (more prevalent, but less efficiently absorbed), as well as the Fe dietary sources, among adults in a representative national sample in Armenia. The study was conducted on 1400 individuals aged 18-80 and above, who were enrolled from all regions of Armenia. The Fe intake was assessed through a 24 h dietary recall survey, while Fe occurrence was determined through atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). The results showed a high proportion of adults with a Fe intake lower than the average requirements set by EFSA (65%, 80% and 85% of males, total females and females at fertile age, respectively). Main Fe sources were bread, fruits and vegetables; heme Fe accounted only for <5% of total Fe intake. Compared to males, females had a lower intake of all forms of Fe (p < 0.05). Significant differences were observed in the intake of different forms of Fe between regions (p < 0.05), while the age-group 36-55 years had higher intakes of total Fe. Our data call for comprehensive nutritional security strategies in order to reduce iron deficiency in Armenia, that represents a public health concern.

Biased pollen transfer by bumblebees favors the paternity of virus-infected plants in cross-pollination.

We used a green fluorescent protein marker gene for paternity analysis to determine if virus infection affected male reproductive success of tomato in bumblebee-mediated cross-pollination under glasshouse conditions. We found that bumblebees that visited flowers of infected plants showed a strong preference to subsequently visit flowers of non-infected plants. The behavior of the bumblebees to move toward non-infected plants after pollinating virus-infected plants appears to explain the paternity data, which demonstrate a statistically significant ∼10-fold bias for fertilization of non-infected plants with pollen from infected parents. Thus, in the presence of bumblebee pollinators, CMV-infected plants exhibit enhanced male reproductive success.

Use of maltodextrin, sweet potato flour, pectin and gelatin as wall material for microencapsulating Lactiplantibacillus plantarum by spray drying: Thermal resistance, in vitro release behavior, storage stability and physicochemical properties.

Different plant products and co-products have been studied as wall materials for the microencapsulation of probiotics due to the need for new lost-cost, abundant, and natural materials. In this study, microparticles were developed by spray drying using different combinations of conventional materials such as maltodextrin, pectin, gelatin, and agar-agar with unconventional materials such as sweet potato flour to microencapsulate Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. The microparticles obtained were evaluated for encapsulation efficiency, thermal resistance, and rupture test. The most resistant microparticles were characterized and evaluated for probiotic viability during storage and survival to in vitro gastrointestinal conditions. Microparticles A (10 % maltodextrin, 5 % sweet potato flour, and 1 % pectin) and B (10 % maltodextrin, 4 % sweet potato flour, and 2 % gelatin) showed high thermal resistance (>59 %) and survival in acidic conditions (>80 %). L. plantarum in microparticles A and B remained viable with counts > 6 log CFU.g-1 for 45 days at 8 °C and -18 °C and resisted in vitro gastrointestinal conditions after processing with counts of 8.38 and 9.10 log CFU.g-1, respectively. Therefore, the selected microparticles have great potential for application in different products in the food industry, as they promote the protection and distribution of probiotic microorganisms.

A wide foodomics approach coupled with metagenomics elucidates the environmental signature of potatoes.

The term "terroir" has been widely employed to link differential geographic phenotypes with sensorial signatures of agricultural food products, influenced by agricultural practices, soil type, and climate. Nowadays, the geographical indications labeling has been developed to safeguard the quality of plant-derived food that is linked to a certain terroir and is generally considered as an indication of superior organoleptic properties. As the dynamics of agroecosystems are highly intricate, consisting of tangled networks of interactions between plants, microorganisms, and the surrounding environment, the recognition of the key molecular components of terroir fingerprinting remains a great challenge to protect both the origin and the safety of food commodities. Furthermore, the contribution of microbiome as a potential driver of the terroir signature has been underestimated. Herein, we present a first comprehensive view of the multi-omic landscape related to transcriptome, proteome, epigenome, and metagenome of the popular Protected Geographical Indication potatoes of Naxos.

Pathophysiology of SARS-CoV2 Mediated Depression, Therapeutics, and Consequences: A Comprehensive Narrative.

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2), belongs to emerging and reemerging diseases, which was first identified and reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The genetic sequence of SARS-CoV-2 was similar to the SARS virus, a ß-coronavirus. The epidemiological studies suggest that the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 mainly occurs from an infected person to others through close contact with the respiratory droplets or by having contact with SARS-CoV-2 adhering to objects and surfaces. The incubation period ranges from 5 to14 days. The symptoms include fever, dry cough, tiredness, aches, chest pain, conjunctivitis, diarrhea, headache, difficulty in breathing or short breath, loss of taste, smell, rashes on the skin, and sore throat. Some reports indicated that males exhibited lower scores than females, the younger populations displayed increased symptoms, Chinese/Taiwanese people registered only scarce symptoms, and Canadians experienced more symptoms. The results of several studies suggested that while COVID-19 had a significant effect on depression, job instability affected anxiety and depression. The diagnostics to detect the presence of coronavirus involve ELISA and RT-PCR. There is no specific treatment available to eradicate COVID-19. The therapeutics used to treat COVID 19 exhibited severe side effects. Recently, some Indian traditional medicinal plants have shown promise in reducing the risk of viral infection and also boosting the immunity of an individual. This paper presents an overview of the current status of depression in the SARS CoV2 infected people and the measures required to overcome COVID-19 induced depression in patients even after recovery.

Use of herbal, complementary and alternative medicines among pregnant women in Makoni District, Zimbabwe / Uso de medicinas a base de hierbas, complementarias y alternativas entre mujeres embarazadas en el distrito de Makoni, Zimbabwe

Use of herbal, complementary and alternative medicines during pregnancy, labour and delivery is common in Zimbabwe. This study aimed at documenting herbal, complementary and alternative medicines used during pregnancy in Makoni District in Zimbabwe. Snowballing was used to select 66 participants which included herbalists (45.5%), traditional birth attendants (18.2%), traditional healers (15.2%), and assistant traditional healers and herbal medicine vendors (10.6% each). Pregnant women in the study areaused a total of 47 plant species from 27 families, and 14 non-plant products as herbal, complementary and alternative medicines by. A total of 26 medical cases were treated with the majority of medicinal plants and non-plant products, used to dilate or widen the birth canal (55.3%) and to augment labour or speed up the delivery process (46.8%). This study showed that herbal, complementary and alternative medicinesplay an important role in the provision of basic health care in Zimbabwe.

El uso de medicinas a base de hierbas, complementarias y alternativas durante el embarazo, el trabajo de parto y el parto es común en Zimbabwe. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo documentar las medicinas a base de hierbas, complementarias y alternativas utilizadas durante el embarazo en el distrito de Makoni en Zimbabwe. Se utilizó bola de nieve para seleccionar a 66 participantes que incluían herbolarios (45,5%), parteras tradicionales (18,2%), curanderos tradicionales (15,2%) y asistentes de curanderos tradicionales y vendedores de hierbas medicinales (10,6% cada uno). Las mujeres embarazadas en el área de estudio utilizaron un total de 47 especies de plantas de 27 familias y 14 productos no vegetales como medicinas a base de hierbas, complementarias y alternativas. Un total de 26 casos médicos fueron tratados con la mayoría de plantas medicinales y productos no vegetales, utilizados para dilatar o ensanchar el canal del parto (55,3%) y para aumentar el parto o acelerar el proceso de parto (46,8%). Este estudio mostró que las medicinas a base de hierbas, complementarias y alternativas desempeñan un papel importante en la prestación de atención médica básica en Zimbabwe.

Anticancer Potential of Thymoquinone: A Novel Bioactive Natural Compound from Nigella sativa L.

Cancer involves the uncontrolled division of cells resulting in abnormal cell growth due to various gene mutations and is considered the second major cause of death. Due to drug resistance to current anticancer drugs, cancer incidence is rising, and seeking effective treatment is a major concern. Natural products are prospective to yield unique molecules, as nature is a leading source of various drug molecules due to plenty of pharmacologically active molecules. Thymoquinone, a bioactive constituent obtained from Nigella sativa L., has drawn considerable attention among researchers in recent years due to its anticancer potential involving various molecular targets, including initiation of apoptosis initiation, arrest of cell cycle and generation of ROS, besides targeting multiple kinases such as tyrosine kinase, MAPK, and Janus kinase. The current review summarizes the thymoquinone chemistry, sources and anticancer potential involving various molecular targets.