title: Reduction of lapachones and their reaction with L-cysteine and mercaptoethanol on glassy carbon electrodes.
abstract: The electrochemical reduction of beta-lapachone and its 3-sulphonic salt was studied by cyclic, square wave and differential pulse voltammetry in aqueous media using a glassy carbon electrode. These compounds have a wide range of biological activities, including antibacterial, cytotoxic, antifungal, trypanocidal and anticancer action. The reduction of beta-lapachone in the presence of L-cysteine and 2-mercaptoethanol was studied and the results, together with others already published, suggest that the anticancer mechanism of beta-lapachones can be explained via interaction with topoisomerase.
authors: Departamento de Química, Fac. de Ciencias e Tecnologia, Universidade de Coimbra, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal. brett@ci.uc.pt
authors: A M
authors: AM
authors: Oliveira-Brett
authors: M O F
authors: MO
authors: Goulart
authors: F C
authors: FC
authors: Abreu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D002417:Cattle; D003545:Cysteine / Q000737:chemistry*; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry; D004566:Electrodes; D008623:Mercaptoethanol / Q000737:chemistry*; D009285:Naphthoquinones / Q000737:chemistry*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction
chemical_list: D009285:Naphthoquinones; D008623:Mercaptoethanol; C014638:beta-lapachone; D002244:Carbon; D004247:DNA; D003545:Cysteine