RAPID
COMMUNICATION
The
Effect of Quercetin on Light-Induced Cytotoxicity
of Hypericin
A. MIROŠŠAY,
H. ONDERKOVÁ, L. MIROSSAY, M. ŠARIŠSKÝ, J.
MOJŽIŠ
Department
of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, P.J. Šafárik
University, Košice, Slovak Republic
Received
January 11, 2001
Accepted February 16, 2001
Summary
Protective
effect of quercetin, a natural antioxidant
compound, on hypericin-induced cytotoxicity was
studied in human promyelocytic leukemia cells
(HL-60). Hypericin (10-5 mol.l-1) alone
significantly decreased cell survival to 21 %
that found in the controls, whereas in
combination with quercetin (10-5 mol.l-1) this
decrease was diminished to 46 %. Lower
concentrations of quercetin had no protective
effect. These findings indicate that oxygen
radicals can play an important role in
hypericin-induced phototoxic effects.
Key words
Hypericin
· Quercetin · Cell line · Oxygen radicals · Cytotoxic activity
Reprint
requests
Assoc.
Prof. Ján Mojžiš, Ph.D., Department of
Pharmacology, Medical Faculty, P.J. Šafarik
University, Tr. SNP 1, 040 66 Košice, Slovak
Republic. Fax: ++42195428524. E-mail: mojzis@central.medic.upjs.sk
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