Evaluation of the antigenotoxic effects of the royal sun mushroom, agaricus brasiliensis (Higher basidiomycetes) in human lymphocytes treated with thymol in the comet assay

The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the possible protective activity of Agaricus brasiliensis (=A. blazei sensu Murrill) ethanol extract against thymol-induced DNA damage in human lymphocytes. Before we studied the possible interaction of thymol and A. brasiliensis extract, each component was tested in the comet assay. Thymol significantly increased DNA damage in human lymphocytes at higher concentrations (20, 50, 100, 150, and 200 μg/mL), whereas no genotoxic effect of A. brasiliensis ethanol extract was observed. In simultaneous treatment with thymol (200 μg/mL) and A. brasiliensis ethanol extract (50, 100, 150, and 200 μg/mL), the latter failed to reduce a thymol-induced DNA damaging effect regardless of the applied concentrations. To confirm that thymol induces DNA damage via reactive oxygen species, we performed cotreatment with quercetin. Cotreatment with quercetin (100 and 500 μmol/L) significantly reduced DNA damage caused by thymol (200 μg/mL), indicating that thymol exhibits genotoxicity mainly through induction of reactive oxygen species.</p

Myocardial Na+ K+-ATPase and SERCA: Clinical and Pathological Significance From a Cytological Perspective

Structure and functions of Na+/K+-ATPase and SERCA are described with details on their subunits, isoforms, and intracellular localization. Main regulatory mechanisms are summarized. Molecular mechanisms of cell death and heart failure are explained with the analysis of the role of Na+/K+-ATPase and SERCA in these processes. Facts are considered from a cytological, pathological, and clinical perspective with an accent to new therapeutic strategies. The aim of this contribution is an overview of functional results in a structural context.Part of the Advances in Biochemistry in Health and Disease book series (ABHD,volume 15)