α-Thujone
Based on 1 Customer Validation
α-Thujone is a monoterpene isolated from Thuja occidentalis essential oil with potent anti-tumor activities. α-Thujone is a reversible modulator of the GABA type A receptor and the IC50 for α-Thujone is 21 μM in suppressing the GABA-induced currents. α-Thujone induces ROS accumulation-dependent cytotoxicity, also induces cell apoptosis and autophagy. α-Thujone has antinociceptive, insecticidal, and anthelmintic activity, and can cross the blood-brain barrier.
For research use only. We do not sell to patients.
- Purity : 98.90%
- CAS No.: 546-80-5
- Formula: C10H16O
- Molecular Weight:152.24
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Storage:Pure form -20°C, 3 years , 4°C, 2 years ; In solvent -80°C, 6 months , -20°C, 1 month
All Parasite Isoforms
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Biological Activity
Description
In Vitro
α-Thujone (66 μM-3.2 mM, 24-96 h) inhibits the proliferation of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cells T98G and U87, inhibits the migration and invasion of GBM cell by affecting cytoskeletal proteins[2].
α-Thujone (66 μM-3.2 mM, 24-96 h) induces the formation of autophagosomes (GFP) and autophagolysosomes (RFP), induces autophagy in T98G cells[2].
MedChemExpress (MCE) has not independently confirmed the accuracy of these methods. They are for reference only. Further protocols information, click here.
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Cell Line:T98G
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Concentration:66 μM-3.2 mM
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Incubation Time:24-96 h
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Result:Inhibited the migration.
In Vivo
MedChemExpress (MCE) has not independently confirmed the accuracy of these methods. They are for reference only.
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Animal Model:Swiss-Webster mouse models[3]
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Dosage:30-60 mg/kg
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Administration:ip, single dose
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Result:Induced tail elevation, trunk flexion, and clonic activity of the forelimbs (30 mg/kg).
Induced epileptic seizures and death.
Chemical Information
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CAS No. 546-80-5
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Appearance Liquid (Density: 0.914 g/cm3)
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Molecular Weight 152.24
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Formula C10H16O
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Color Colorless to light yellow
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SMILES
O=C1C[C@]2(C(C)C)C[C@]2([H])[C@H]1C
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Structure Classification
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Initial Source
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Shipping
Room temperature in continental US; may vary elsewhere.
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Storage
Pure form -20°C 3 years 4°C 2 years In solvent -80°C 6 months -20°C 1 month
Solvent & Solubility
In Vitro:
DMSO : 100 mg/mL (656.86 mM; Need ultrasonic; Hygroscopic DMSO has a significant impact on the solubility of product, please use newly opened DMSO)
Please refer to the solubility information to select the appropriate solvent. Once prepared, please aliquot and store the solution to prevent product inactivation from repeated freeze-thaw cycles.
Storage method and period of stock solution: -80°C, 6 months; -20°C, 1 month. When stored at -80°C, please use it within 6 months. When stored at -20°C, please use it within 1 month.
Please refer to the solubility information to select the appropriate solvent. Once prepared, please aliquot and store the solution to prevent product inactivation from repeated freeze-thaw cycles.
Storage method and period of stock solution: -80°C, 6 months; -20°C, 1 month. When stored at -80°C, please use it within 6 months. When stored at -20°C, please use it within 1 month.
Concentration (start) × Volume (start) = Concentration (final) × Volume (final)
In Vivo:
Select the appropriate dissolution method based on your experimental animal and administration route.
- For the following dissolution methods, please ensure to first prepare a clear stock solution using an In Vitro approach and then sequentially add co-solvents:
- To ensure reliable experimental results, the clarified stock solution can be appropriately stored based on storage conditions. As for the working solution for In Vivo experiments, it is recommended to prepare freshly and use it on the same day.
- The percentages shown for the solvents indicate their volumetric ratio in the final prepared solution. If precipitation or phase separation occurs during preparation, heat and/or sonication can be used to aid dissolution.
Add each solvent one by one: 10% DMSO 40% PEG300 5% Tween-80 45% Saline
Solubility: ≥ 2.5 mg/mL (16.42 mM); Clear solution
This protocol yields a clear solution of ≥ 2.5 mg/mL (saturation unknown).
Taking 1 mL working solution as an example, add 100 μL DMSO stock solution (25.0 mg/mL) to 400 μL PEG300, and mix evenly; then add 50 μL Tween-80 and mix evenly; then add 450 μL Saline to adjust the volume to 1 mL.
Preparation of Saline: Dissolve 0.9 g sodium chloride in ddH₂O and dilute to 100 mL to obtain a clear Saline solution.
Add each solvent one by one: 10% DMSO 90% (20% SBE-β-CD in Saline)
Solubility: ≥ 2.5 mg/mL (16.42 mM); Clear solution
This protocol yields a clear solution of ≥ 2.5 mg/mL (saturation unknown).
Taking 1 mL working solution as an example, add 100 μL DMSO stock solution (25.0 mg/mL) to 900 μL 20% SBE-β-CD in Saline, and mix evenly.
Preparation of 20% SBE-β-CD in Saline (4°C, storage for one week): 2 g SBE-β-CD powder is dissolved in 10 mL Saline, completely dissolve until clear.
In Vivo Dissolution Calculator
Please enter the basic information of animal experiments:
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Recommended: Prepare an additional quantity of animals to account for potential losses during experiments.
Please enter your animal formula composition:
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%DMSO +
Recommended: Keep the proportion of DMSO in working solution below 2% if your animal is weak.
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%+
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+%Tween-80 + +
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%Saline +
The co-solvents required include: DMSO, . All of co-solvents are available by MedChemExpress (MCE). , Tween 80. All of co-solvents are available by MedChemExpress (MCE).
Working solution concentration: 0.22 mg/mL
Method for preparing stock solution: mg drug dissolved in μL DMSO. Stock solution concentration: mg/mL.
1. Take μL DMSO stock solution;
2. Add μL .
μL , mix evenly;
3. Then add μL Tween 80, mix evenly;
4. Then add μL
Please ensure that the stock solution in the first step is dissolved to a clear state, and add co-solvents in sequence. You can use ultrasonic heating (ultrasonic cleaner, recommended frequency 20-40 kHz), vortexing, etc. to assist dissolution.
Protocols
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Apoptosis
Apoptosis, also called programmed cell death, is generally characterized by distinct morphological characteristics.
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TUNEL staining for apoptotic DNA fragmentation
TUNEL staining detects DNA strand breaks by using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase to add labeled nucleotides to exposed 3′-OH DNA termini, generating either microscopic staining in fixed cells or tissue sections, or fluorescence/cytometric signal in cell suspensions. TUNEL positivity reflects DNA fragmentation but should not be interpreted alone as definitive apoptosis, because TUNEL can also label necrotic, autolytic, mechanically damaged, or DNA-repair-associated DNA breaks.
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Cell Cytotoxicity Assay
Cytotoxicity assays are usually based on the assessment of cell membrane damage, which can also be indirectly detected by measuring cell viability. Detection methods include MTT assay, CKK-8 assay, LDH assay and ATP assay, etc.
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Mammalian live/dead viability and cytotoxicity staining
Live/dead viability and cytotoxicity staining assays are based on the simultaneous detection of intracellular esterase activity in metabolically active (viable) cells and membrane integrity loss in non-viable cells. In commonly used dual-staining approaches, membrane-permeant fluorogenic substrates are converted by intracellular esterases into fluorescent products in live cells, while impermeant DNA-binding dyes selectively enter cells with compromised plasma membranes and label nucleic acids in dead or dying cells, enabling discrimination between viable and non-viable populations by fluorescence microscopy or flow cytometry.
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Annexin V plus membrane-impermeant dye apoptosis staining
Annexin V-based apoptosis assays rely on the detection of phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization from the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane to the outer leaflet, an early biochemical hallmark of apoptosis. Fluorescently labeled Annexin V binds PS in a calcium-dependent manner, enabling identification of early apoptotic cells by flow cytometry or fluorescence microscopy. When combined with a membrane-impermeant DNA-binding dye (e. g. , propidium iodide), this approach allows discrimination between viable (Annexin V−/dye−), early apoptotic (Annexin V+/dye−), and late apoptotic or necrotic (Annexin V+/dye+) cell populations by assessing membrane integrity and PS exposure.
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ROS/oxidative-stress fluorescent staining
ROS/oxidative-stress fluorescent staining uses cell-permeant fluorogenic probes that become fluorescent after oxidation inside cells or tissues; commonly used examples include DCFH-DA/DCFDA for broad cellular oxidant detection, DHE for superoxide-related signal detection, MitoSOX for mitochondrial superoxide-related signal detection, and CellROX probes for oxidative-stress-associated fluorescence readouts. The assay detects probe oxidation rather than a single ROS species unless the probe and analysis method have been chemically validated for that species. DCFH-DA enters cells, is deacetylated by intracellular esterases to DCFH, and produces fluorescent DCF after oxidation, so the readout is used as an operational measure of total cellular oxidative stress rather than a species-specific ROS measurement. DHE and MitoSOX can report superoxide-related oxidation, but red fluorescence alone can include non-specific ethidium-like oxidation products; HPLC or optimized spectral approaches are
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Autophagy
Autophagy is a process in which eukaryotic cells use lysosomes to degrade their own cytoplasmic proteins and damaged organelles under the regulation of autophagy related gene (Atg). Microtubule-associated proteins light chain 3 (LC3) is recognized as autophagy marker, which transfers from cytoplasmic LC3 (LC3-I) to membrane type (LC3-II). LC3-II/I ratio could be detected by Western Blot and fluorescence microscopy.
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Apoptosis Solutions
Apoptosis is a regulated, generally non-lytic cell-death pathway that removes unwanted, damaged, infected, or abnormal cells through coordinated morphological changes, caspase activation, DNA fragmentation, and membrane remodeling. The intrinsic apoptosis pathway is controlled mainly by mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization, BCL-2 family proteins, cytochrome c release, apoptosome formation, caspase-9 activation, and downstream executioner caspase-3/7 activation. The extrinsic apoptosis pathway is initiated by death receptors such as Fas, TNFR, and TRAIL receptors, which recruit adaptor proteins and activate caspase-8 before engaging executioner caspases or mitochondrial amplification through BID cleavage. Apoptosis is linked to many phenotypes, including cancer cell killing, tissue homeostasis, immune regulation, neurodegeneration, infection response, and treatment-induced cytotoxicity; unresolved questions include how apoptosis interacts with necroptosis, pyroptosis, ferroptos
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Lysosome and acidic-vesicle live-cell staining
Lysosome and acidic-vesicle live-cell staining detects acidic intracellular compartments by using membrane-permeant acidotropic probes that accumulate in low-pH vesicles, including lysosomes, late endosomes, autolysosomes, and acidic phagosomes. LysoTracker staining is commonly used as an intensity-based readout of acidic lysosomal compartment abundance or enlargement, while acridine orange produces green fluorescence in less concentrated compartments and red fluorescence after concentration-dependent accumulation in acidic vesicular organelles. Loss or reduction of acridine-orange red signal can be used as a readout of lysosomal membrane permeabilization or reduced acidic-vesicle integrity. This protocol is designed for live cultured cells and can be adapted for fluorescence microscopy, high-content imaging, plate-reader readout, or flow cytometry when the selected literature supports the readout. Because these dyes report acidotropic accumulation rather than lysosome identity alone,
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Macroautophagy Solutions
Macroautophagy is a conserved lysosome-dependent degradation pathway in which cytoplasmic material is sequestered into double-membrane autophagosomes and delivered to lysosomes for degradation and recycling. The pathway supports cellular homeostasis during nutrient limitation, organelle stress, protein-aggregate accumulation, infection, differentiation, and tissue remodeling by coupling cargo sequestration, autophagosome maturation, lysosomal fusion, and degradation of cargo-derived macromolecules. The core molecular sequence includes initiation by nutrient- and stress-regulated autophagy machinery, autophagosome nucleation, LC3/ATG8-family conjugation to autophagosomal membranes, cargo selection through receptors such as SQSTM1/p62, autophagosome-lysosome fusion, and lysosomal degradation. LC3 was identified as a mammalian homolog of yeast Atg8 that localizes to autophagosomal membranes after processing, and p62/SQSTM1 was shown to connect ubiquitinated cargo with autophagic degradati
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Cell Viability Determination by MTT Colorimetric Assay
The following protocol uses the MTT colorimetric assay as a classic literature-established method for assessing cell viability/metabolic activity in cultured mammalian cells. MTT[3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] is reduced by metabolically active cells to a colored formazan product; the amount of formazan is quantified spectrophotometrically and provides an indirect measure of metabolically active viable cells. Importantly, MTT reduction reflects cellular oxidoreductase/metabolic activity rather than an absolute direct count of living cells, so changes in cellular metabolism can alter the signal independently of cell number.
Purity & Documentation
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Data Sheet (279 KB)
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SDS (480 KB)
- English - EN (480 KB)
- Français - FR (480 KB)
- Deutsch - DE (480 KB)
- Norwegian - NO (480 KB)
- Español - ES (480 KB)
- Swedish - SV (480 KB)
- Italian - IT (480 KB)
- Korean - KR (480 KB)
- Portuguese - PT (480 KB)
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Handling Instructions (2659 KB)
References
[1]. Agus HH, et al. Involvement of Pca1 in ROS-mediated apoptotic cell death induced by alpha-thujone in the fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe). FEMS Yeast Res. 2020 Apr 29. pii: foaa022. [Content Brief]
[2]. Pudełek M, et al. Therapeutic potential of monoterpene α-thujone, the main compound of Thuja occidentalis L. essential oil, against malignant glioblastoma multiforme cells in vitro. Fitoterapia. 2019 Apr;134:172-181. [Content Brief]
[3]. Höld KM, et al. Alpha-thujone (the active component of absinthe): gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor modulation and metabolic detoxification. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2000 Apr 11;97(8):3826-31. [Content Brief]
Complete Stock Solution Preparation Table
Please refer to the solubility information to select the appropriate solvent. Once prepared, please aliquot and store the solution to prevent product inactivation from repeated freeze-thaw cycles.
Storage method and period of stock solution: -80°C, 6 months; -20°C, 1 month. When stored at -80°C, please use it within 6 months. When stored at -20°C, please use it within 1 month.
| Optional Solvent | Concentration Solvent Mass | 1 mg | 5 mg | 10 mg | 25 mg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMSO | 1 mM | 6.5686 mL | 32.8429 mL | 65.6858 mL | 164.2144 mL |
| 5 mM | 1.3137 mL | 6.5686 mL | 13.1372 mL | 32.8429 mL | |
| 10 mM | 0.6569 mL | 3.2843 mL | 6.5686 mL | 16.4214 mL | |
| 15 mM | 0.4379 mL | 2.1895 mL | 4.3791 mL | 10.9476 mL | |
| 20 mM | 0.3284 mL | 1.6421 mL | 3.2843 mL | 8.2107 mL | |
| 25 mM | 0.2627 mL | 1.3137 mL | 2.6274 mL | 6.5686 mL | |
| 30 mM | 0.2190 mL | 1.0948 mL | 2.1895 mL | 5.4738 mL | |
| 40 mM | 0.1642 mL | 0.8211 mL | 1.6421 mL | 4.1054 mL | |
| 50 mM | 0.1314 mL | 0.6569 mL | 1.3137 mL | 3.2843 mL | |
| 60 mM | 0.1095 mL | 0.5474 mL | 1.0948 mL | 2.7369 mL | |
| 80 mM | 0.0821 mL | 0.4105 mL | 0.8211 mL | 2.0527 mL | |
| 100 mM | 0.0657 mL | 0.3284 mL | 0.6569 mL | 1.6421 mL |