TriNutra Secures US Patent for Black Seed Oil and Astaxanthin Combination

TriNutra, the supplier of the standardized black seed oil ingredient ThymoQuin, has received a US patent covering compositions combining ThymoQuin with astaxanthin and other biologically active compounds.¹

According to the patent, these combinations demonstrated synergistic biological activity, with efficacy exceeding what either ingredient produced individually. For finished product manufacturers formulating in the inflammatory response, antioxidant, or stress management categories, the patent adds intellectual property protection to a combination that has already been examined in at least one published human trial.

"Our unique formulation approach continues to demonstrate that the composition of black seed oil's bioactives matters significantly," said Morris Zelkha, CEO of TriNutra. "ThymoQuin has brought innovation to this ancient ingredient with several published clinical trials on its health benefits and composition-dependent efficacy, and numerous global patents back it for its composition, stability, bioavailability, and use."

What Makes Black Seed Oil's Bioactive Composition Difficult to Standardize?

Black seed oil, derived from Nigella sativa, contains thymoquinone and p-cymene as its principal bioactive constituents. Both compounds are chemically unstable in the presence of oxidants such as free fatty acids, which can degrade potency and shorten shelf stability in conventional black seed oil products.

TriNutra's ThymoQuin ingredient is produced through controlled growing, harvesting, and cold-press manufacturing processes intended to preserve a specific balance of thymoquinone, p-cymene, and free fatty acids. The company's stated rationale for this approach is that the ratio between these compounds, not simply their individual presence, determines biological activity, a composition-dependent efficacy claim that has been the basis for several of the company's prior patents covering stability and bioavailability.

What Does the Published Research Say About Combining Black Seed Oil with Astaxanthin?

The patent stems from research published in 2022 in the Scholarly Journal of Food and Nutrition, which evaluated a combination of 500 mg of ThymoQuin and 8 mg of microalgae-derived astaxanthin oleoresin against placebo in 40 long-distance runners over a 4-week period surrounding an endurance event.² Participants receiving the combination reported 78% fewer upper respiratory tract complaints and an 11% improvement in mood states compared with placebo, alongside 63% higher levels of the probiotic species Streptococcus thermophilus and a 20% reduction in cortisol.

The authors proposed that these effects were mediated in part through improvements in gut microbiome composition and a gut-immune-brain axis mechanism, though the study population was limited to endurance athletes under acute physical stress, and the mechanistic pathway proposed has not been independently confirmed through controlled mechanistic studies.

Separately, a more recent 8-week randomized, placebo-controlled trial of ThymoQuin alone in moderately stressed adults, published in 2026 in EC Nutrition, found a 23% reduction in cortisol, a 10% increase in dehydroepiandrosterone, and a 31% improvement in sleep quality scores compared with placebo.³ That trial did not include astaxanthin and evaluated a more general, non-athlete population, providing supporting context for ThymoQuin's standalone stress-related effects rather than direct evidence for the patented combination.

How Does Astaxanthin's Established Evidence Base Factor Into This Combination?

Astaxanthin, a carotenoid most commonly derived from the microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis, has an independently established body of clinical research supporting antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cardiovascular benefits, along with preliminary findings related to cognitive and mood outcomes.

The rationale for pairing it with a thymoquinone-rich black seed oil rests on the premise that the two ingredients act on overlapping but distinct inflammatory and oxidative stress pathways, producing an additive or synergistic effect rather than redundant activity. The patent reportedly extends this concept to other unspecified biologically active compounds beyond astaxanthin, though the publicly available summary does not detail which additional compounds are covered.

References

1. TriNutra. TriNutra receives US patent for ThymoQuin and astaxanthin composition [press release]. June 16, 2026. Press release received via email.

2. Talbott SM, Talbott JA. Combination of black cumin seed oil and astaxanthin supports gut-immune-brain-axis and improves mood. Sch J Food Nutr. 2022;4(3). doi:10.32474/SJFN.2022.04.000190

3. Talbott SM, Talbott JA. Supplementation with proprietary and patented black seed oil improves stress resilience in moderately stressed adults: an 8-week randomized, placebo-controlled study. EC Nutrition. 2026;21(3):01-09.