Table 4. Protective effects of Nigella sativa and its constituents against some food process toxicants in different tissues .

Food toxins	Food source	Targets	Treatment Conditions	Main Findings	Ref.
DENA	Fried foods, cosmetic products, tobacco smoke, cheddar cheese, and pesticides.	Erythrocyte fragility	In vivo, rat TQ:4 mg/kg/5 days/p.o.	-	74
		Hepatic carcinogenesis	In vivo, rat TQ: (4 mg/kg/d)	TQ decreases oxidative stress and preserves both the activity and mRNA expression of antioxidant enzymes	75
ACR	Making paper, dyes, plastics, and in treating drinking water and wastewater. caulk, food packaging,	Neurotoxicity	In vivo, rat TQ: 2.5, 5, 10 mg/kg IP	Neuroprotective effect of TQ in this model due to the antioxidant activity	76
			Vitamin E: 200 mg/kg/d orally TQ:5 mg/kg/d, ip	The neurotoxicity decrease was due to antioxidant potential of TQ	77
B[a]P	Coal tar, tobacco smoke, and grilled meats	Forestomach carcinogenesis	In vivo, mice 0.01% of TQ in drinking water	Detoxification processes of TQ may be through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.	78
		Mutagenic effect in murine bone marrow cells	In vivo, mice 0.01% of TQ in drinking water	TQ can inhibit the cytotoxic effects of exposure to the carcinogen B[a]P in initial phases.	73
		Genotoxicity	In vitro, cultured human lymphocytes TQ: TQ ranging from 0.625, 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10 µM	TQ can reduce DNA damage.	79
BPA	Baby bottles, and beverage containers	Reproductive system	In vivo, mice TQ: 10 mg/kg/d	TQ ameliorates these toxic effects	80
		Hepatotoxicity	In vivo, rat, TQ: 10 mg/kg/d	TQ reduces elevated levels of hepatic biomarkers and decreases lipid peroxidation	81

Abbreviations: DENA, diethylnitrosamine; TQ, thymoquinone; ACR, acrylamide; B[a]P, banzo[a]pyren; BPA, Bisphenol A.