Mesothelioma and Small Cell Lung Cancer; Effects of Nigella Sativa Thymoquinone on Cell Lines

Background: Lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma are types of cancer with a poor prognosis and fatal. Small cell lung cancer is much more aggressive and survival shorter than non-small cell lung carcinoma. Mesothelioma is a rare malignant disease that commonly affects the pleura. Cisplatin is frequently used in chemotherapy protocols. Thymoquinone is a chemical with antineoplastic effects procured from the Nigella Sativa plant. It was aimed to investigate the effects of thymoquinone and cisplatin on small cell lung cancer and mesothelioma cell lines.

Methodology: The study was done in the Cell Culture Laboratory of Gaziantep University. Cell lines of small cell lung cancer, malignant pleural mesothelioma and non-cancerous bronchial epithelium were used in the study. Cells were cultured in dimethyl sulfoxide. The effective doses of thymoquinone and cisplatin were calculated. Accordingly, which were detected doses of thymoquinone as 100 μM and cisplatin as 200 μM. The viability of cells were evaluated using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-il) 2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide test. Experiments were repeated 4 times at different times by the same team in the same laboratory. Statistical analysis of the study was done using the Chi-square test. The study was was accordance with international standards on cell lines in the laboratory.

Results: Chemical treats were administering on all cell lines at doses of 100 μM and 200 μM. Thymoquinone at a dose of 100 mm; viability of cells were detected in 48% in mesothelioma, 44% in small cell lung cancer and 55% in noncancerous epithelium cell lines. Cisplatin at a dose of 200 μM; viability of cells were detected in 63% in mesothelioma, 48% in small cell lung cancer and 59% in noncancerous epithelium cell lines. There was no significant toxicity of dimethyl sulfoxide used as a chemical solvent when compared with physiological saline.

Conclusions: Thymoquinone at a dose of 100 μM was more effective than cisplatin at a dose of 200 μM on both small cell lung cancer and malignant pleural mesothelioma cell lines. Cisplatin was more effective in small cell lung cancer than malignant pleural mesothelioma at a dose of 200 μM. The effects of thymoquinone were similar in both cancer cell lines.