Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0012833 (dizziness)
 9,689 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Gastrodia elata (G. elata) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine for treating headaches, dizziness, tetanus, and epilepsy. In this study, differential methanol (MeOH) extracts of G. elata were found to prevent serum-deprived rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cell apoptosis by the MTT assay and Hoechst staining. A serine/threonine kinase inhibitor attenuated this protection. G. elata resulted in phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of ERK1/2 and JNK1/2-p38 MAPKs (members of the serine/threonine kinase family), respectively, as revealed by Western blot analysis. An upstream ERK inhibitor attenuated G. elata-induced ERK phosphorylation but not protective effect. Although JNK and p38 inhibitors attenuated their related enzyme activities during serum deprivation, only JNK inhibitor prevented serum-deprived apoptosis. Thus, G. elata prevents serum-deprived apoptosis through activation of the serine/threonine kinase-dependent pathway and suppression of JNK activity.
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PMID:Gastrodia elata prevents rat pheochromocytoma cells from serum-deprived apoptosis: the role of the MAPK family. 1526 68

Malathion is an organophosphate pesticide that is known for its high toxicity to insects and low to moderate potency to humans and other mammals. Its toxicity has been associated with the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity, leading to the interference with the transmission of nerve impulse, accumulation of acetylcholine at synaptic junctions, and subsequent induction of adverse health effects including headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, bradycardia, and miosis. Oxidative stress (OS) has been reported as a possible mechanism of malathion toxicity in humans. Hence, the aim of this study was to examine the role of OS in malathion-induced cytotoxicity and genotoxicity. To achieve this goal, MTT, lipid peroxidation, and single cell gel electrophoresis (Comet) assays were performed, respectively, to evaluate the levels of cell viability, malondialdehyde (MDA) production, and DNA damage in human liver carcinoma (HepG(2)) cells. Study results indicated that malathion is mitogenic at lower levels of exposure, and cytotoxic at higher levels of exposure. Upon 48 h of exposure, the average percentages of cell viability were 100% +/- 11%, 117% +/- 15%, 86% +/- 15%, 35% +/- 9%, and 27% +/- 7% for 0, 6, 12, 18, and 24 mM, respectively. In the lipid peroxidation assay, the concentrations of MDA produced were 12.55 +/- 0.16, 20.65 +/- 0.27, 31.1 +/- 0.40, 34.75 +/- 0.45, and 15.1 +/- 0.20 muM in 0, 6, 12, 18, and 24 mM malathion, respectively. The Comet assay showed a significant increase in DNA damage at the 24 mM malathion exposure. Taken together, our results indicate that malathion exposure at higher concentrations induces cytotoxic and genotoxic effects in HepG(2) cells, and its toxicity may be mediated through OS as evidenced by a significant production of MDA, an end product of lipid peroxidation.
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PMID:Malathion-induced oxidative stress, cytotoxicity, and genotoxicity in human liver carcinoma (HepG2) cells. 1939 48

Vestibular schwannoma (VS) is an intracranial tumor that causes significant morbidity, including hearing loss, tinnitus, dizziness, and possibly even death from brainstem compression. However, FDA-approved pharmacologic treatments for VS do not exist. Sulforaphane (SFN) is a naturally occurring isothiocyanate found in cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, with potent chemoprotective effects in several cell types. Our objective was to determine whether SFN is effective against VS in vitro and in vivo. Human primary VS cells, HEI-193 schwannoma cells, and SC4 Nf2-/- Schwann cells were used to investigate the inhibitory effects of SFN in vitro. Cell proliferation was assessed by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation, and cell viability and metabolic activity was calculated by MTT assay. Apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining, and Western blot for cleaved caspases. A mouse model with a murine schwannoma allograft was also used to examine the antitumor activity of SFN. SFN exhibited significant antiproliferative activity in schwannoma cells in vitro, via the inhibition of HDAC activity and the activation of ERK. SFN treatment induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase. SFN also significantly inhibited schwannoma growth in vivo. Our preclinical studies motivate a future prospective clinical study of SFN for the treatment of VS.
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PMID:Sulforaphane, a natural component of broccoli, inhibits vestibular schwannoma growth in vitro and in vivo. 2780 58