About TQ
Thymoquinone is the primary bioactive in Nigella sativa (black seed) oil. On supplement labels it represents the standardized TQ content of a black seed oil extract, not isolated synthesized TQ — pure TQ is not a consumer ingredient. All human clinical evidence is on whole black seed oil or TQ-standardized extracts; there are no RCTs on isolated thymoquinone. A 2023 analysis of 11 commercial products found 260-fold variation in actual TQ content vs. label claims, so labeled TQ amounts should be treated cautiously.
What TQ supports
- Standardized active fraction of black seed oil
How much TQ to take
Clinical studies typically use 10–50 mg of TQ. Label-plausibility range back-calculated from the TQ content of standardized black seed oil extracts used in human trials (e.g., ThymoQuin-class ~3% TQ at 200–500 mg oil ≈ 6–25 mg TQ; higher-concentration extracts up to ~50 mg). Not a validated therapeutic range — no human RCTs use isolated TQ.
- Effective range
- 10–50 mg
Clinical evidence
Limited clinical evidence. All human evidence is on whole black seed oil with TQ as a marker. No RCTs on isolated thymoquinone.
Examine.com