ArticleMolecular biology reports2026
Synergistic anticancer effects of thymoquinone and curcumin via ROS-mediated mitochondrial apoptosis in HeLa cells.
Article in Molecular biology reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundCervical cancer continues to pose a significant global health issue, often exacerbated by challenges such as chemoresistance and toxicity. Phytochemicals such as thymoquinone and curcumin exhibit promising multi-targeted anticancer properties. PURPOSE: This study investigated the synergistic cytotoxic and pro-apoptotic effects of Thymoquinone (TQ) and Curcumin (CUR) on HeLa cells and elucidated the underlying mechanisms.
methodsHeLa cells were treated with TQ (0–100 µM), CUR at 30%, 50%, and 70% inhibitory concentrations (IC₃₀, IC₅₀, IC₇₀), and fixed-ratio combinations for 24, 48, 72, and 96. Cytotoxicity was measured using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, and synergy was assessed using the Chou–Talalay method. Morphological alterations and apoptotic features were examined by phase-contrast microscopy and acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EtBr) dual staining. Apoptotic signalling was evaluated through reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), and expression of caspase-9 and caspase-3.
resultsTQ and CUR reduced HeLa cell viability dose-dependently. Combination treatment showed time-dependent interaction, with additive effects at 24 h, antagonist-to-additive effects at 48 h, and synergistic cytotoxicity at longer exposures. Synergy emerged at 72 h and peaked at 96 h, particularly at lower inhibitory concentrations (CI₃₀ = 0.12). The combination induced apoptotic features, including nuclear condensation, membrane blebbing, mitochondrial depolarization, elevated ROS levels, and caspase-9 and caspase-3 activation, indicating intrinsic, caspase-dependent apoptosis.
conclusionTQ and CUR synergistically induce apoptosis in HeLa cells through ROS-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction and caspase activation, highlighting their potential as a phytochemical-based adjunct strategy for cervical cancer management. Hence, further in vivo studies are warranted.
Indexed as
Identifiers
41915119What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.