Ipconazole is an antifungal agrochemical widely used in agriculture against seed diseases of rice, vegetables, and other crops; due to its easy accumulation in the environment, it poses a hazard to human, animal, and environmental health. Therefore, we investigated the cytotoxic effect of ipconazole on SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells using cell viability tests (MTT), ROS production, caspase3/7 activity, and molecular assays of the biomarkers of cell death (Bax, Casp3, APAF1, BNIP3, and Bcl2); inflammasome (NLRP3, Casp1, and IL1β); inflammation (NFκB, TNFα, and IL6); and antioxidants (NRF2, SOD, and GPx). SH-SY5Y cells were exposed to ipconazole (1, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 µM) for 24 h. The ipconazole, in a dose-dependent manner, reduced cell viability and produced an IC₅₀ of 32.3 µM; it also produced an increase in ROS production and caspase3/7 enzyme activity in SH-SY5Y cells. In addition, ipconazole at 50 µM induced an overexpression of Bax, Casp3, APAF1, and BNIP3 (cell death genes); NLRP3, Casp1, and IL1B (inflammasome complex genes); and NFκB, TNFα, and IL6 (inflammation genes); it also reduced the expression of NRF2, SOD, and GPx (antioxidant genes). Our results show that ipconazole produces cytotoxic effects by reducing cell viability, generating oxidative stress, and inducing cell death in SH-SY5Y cells, so ipconazole exposure should be considered as a factor in the presentation of neurotoxicity or neurodegeneration.

Brunfelsia grandiflora is a South American solanaceae widely used since long ago for its recognized medicinal properties. We have recently reported its chemical composition, showing a relevant number of bioactive compounds with antioxidant capacity, and proved the cytoprotective and antioxidative stress potential of B. grandiflora in cultured endothelial cells. Since B. grandiflora extracts have shown effects on the central nervous system, the present study was designed to show the potential cytoprotective capacity and the antioxidative stress potential of phenolic extracts from the plant on cultured neuron-like cells, as a model to reduce the presentation or effects of chronic diseases of the nervous system. To this end, we studied its reactive oxygen species (ROS)-reducing capacity, its antioxidant defense mechanisms, and some molecular markers involved in redox balance and apoptosis. The results show that cell survival and most changes in biomarkers related to oxidative status, ROS, reduced glutathione, glutathione peroxidase and reductase, malondialdehyde, and caspase 3/7 activity, and molecular expression of cell death-related genes (BAX, BNIP3, and APAF1), NFκB, SOD, and NRF2 (genes from oxidative stress—antioxidants) induced by oxidative stress were prevented by either co- or pretreatment of neuron-like cells with B. grandiflora extracts (25–200 µg/mL). The results demonstrate the chemoprotective potential of the plant and support its medicinal use.