TQ-THB

TQ-THB is a synthetic small molecule analog of thymoquinone, the primary bioactive constituent of the edible black seed plant *Nigella sativa*. Developed to overcome the poor bioavailability and pharmacological limitations of parent thymoquinone, TQ-THB demonstrates significantly enhanced potency in inhibiting tumor growth and inducing apoptosis in gastrointestinal cancers, including pancreatic and colon cancers. Mechanistically, TQ-THB acts by binding to and suppressing the Nuclear Factor-kappa B (NF-kB) and Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) signaling pathways, which are critical for tumor survival and angiogenesis. Preclinical studies have shown that TQ-THB exhibits superior anti-tumor activity in metastatic pancreatic xenograft models and synergizes with standard-of-care chemotherapeutic agents such as gemcitabine and FOLFOX.