Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) is an Nrf2 activator with oral activity and blood-brain barrier permeability. Dimethyl fumarate has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory activities and has been used in the study of multiple sclerosis.

METHODS: Primary cortical cultures or hippocampal HT22 cells were treated with Dimethyl fumarate (10 µM) and glutamate for 24 h. Cell viability was measured by Cell Titer Blue (CTB) assay.
RESULTS: Pre-incubation with 10 µM MMF Dimethyl fumarate for 24 h protected primary cortex cultures and hippocampal HT22 cells from oxidized glutamate toxicity. [1]
METHODS: Tumor cells CT26 were treated with Dimethyl fumarate (100 µM) for 3-24 h. LDH release was detected by LDH cytotoxicity assay kit.
RESULTS: Dimethyl fumarate time-dependently increased LDH release, which reflected necrotic cell death. [2]

METHODS: To study the effects on Friedreich's ataxia (FA), Dimethyl fumarate (110 mg/kg) was administered orally to a FXNKD mouse model of FA once daily for 18 weeks.
RESULTS: Dimethyl fumarate rescued these enzyme activities in the brain of the FXNKD mouse model and rescued frataxin and cytochrome oxidase expression in the brain, cerebellum, and quadriceps muscle. [3]