title: Some characteristics of quercetin-induced cytotoxicity on rat thymocytes under in vitro condition.
abstract: Quercetin, a flavonoid found in fruits and vegetables, exerts beneficial effects that contribute to human health. Therefore, quercetin preparation is expected as complementary or alternative medicine used by general population. The plausible criterion for such medicines is to exert no toxic action on normal cells. In this study, the effects of quercetin on normal cells were examined using rat thymocytes in RPMI-1640 medium. Significant cytotoxic actions of quercetin were observed at 30 microM. Quercetin increased the populations of propidium-stained cells, shrunken cells, annexin V-positive cells, and the cells with hypodiploidal DNA. Thus, the type of cell death induced by quercetin was apoptosis. Z-VAD-FMK, a pan-inhibitor for caspases, partly attenuated the process of quercetin-induced apoptosis. It can be suggested that plasma concentration of quercetin should be below 30 microM after the digestion when quercetin preparation as complementary or alternative medicine is used.
authors: Okayama University Dental School, Okayama 700-8525, Japan.
authors: Yumiko
authors: Y
authors: Nishimura
authors: Toshihisa B
authors: TB
authors: Oyama
authors: Yoko
authors: Y
authors: Sakanashi
authors: Tomohiro M
authors: TM
authors: Oyama
authors: Hiroko
authors: H
authors: Matsui
authors: Yoshiro
authors: Y
authors: Okano
authors: Yasuo
authors: Y
authors: Oyama
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017304:Annexin A5 / Q000378:metabolism; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004171:Diploidy; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D011794:Quercetin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D017304:Annexin A5; D005419:Flavonoids; D004247:DNA; D011794:Quercetin