title: An In Vitro Study of the Neurotoxic Effects of N-Benzylpiperazine: A Designer Drug of Abuse.
abstract: Recently, the number of new psychoactive substances has significantly increased. Despite the systematic introduction of prohibition in trade of medicinal products which mimic the effects of illegal drugs, the problem concerning this group of drugs is still important although knowledge about the mechanism of action of those types of substances is scarce. This study aimed to follow the neurotoxic effect of N-benzylpiperazine (BZP), the central nervous system psychostimulant, using the human cancer LN-18 cell model. The statistically significant elevation of LDH levels, increased mitochondrial membrane potential, decreased ATP and increased ROS production, increased levels of DNA damage marker (8-OHdG) and activation of caspases: -3 and -9 confirmed by Real-Time PCR imply the activation of mitochondrial proapoptotic pathways induced by BZP after 24 h incubation. This study is a novel, preliminary attempt to explain the toxicity of one of the most popular designer drug of abuse at the cellular level.
authors: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Ingardena 3, 30-060, Kraków, Poland.
authors: Karolina
authors: K
authors: Persona
authors: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Jagiellonian University in Krakow - Medical College, Kraków, Poland.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Polus
authors: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Jagiellonian University in Krakow - Medical College, Kraków, Poland.
authors: Joanna
authors: J
authors: Góralska
authors: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Jagiellonian University in Krakow - Medical College, Kraków, Poland.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Gruca
authors: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Jagiellonian University in Krakow - Medical College, Kraków, Poland.
authors: Aldona
authors: A
authors: Dembińska-Kieć
authors: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Ingardena 3, 30-060, Kraków, Poland. wpiekosz@tlen.pl.|School of Biomedicine, Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok, Russia. wpiekosz@tlen.pl.
authors: Wojciech
authors: W
authors: Piekoszewski
mesh_terms: D000080242:8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D020169:Caspases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003849:Deoxyguanosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C461488:N-benzylpiperazine; D009498:Neurotoxins; D010879:Piperazines; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; C498143:RELA protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D000080242:8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D020169:Caspases; D003849:Deoxyguanosine
keywords: Apoptosis; Benzylpiperazine; Neurodegeneration; New psychoactive substances; Oxidative stress