5-Hydroxy-1,4-naphthalenedione exerts anticancer effects on glioma cells through interaction with the mitochondrial electron transport chain.

•5-Hydroxy-1,4-naphthalenedione (juglone) exerts anticancer effects on glioma cells.•Juglone is selective to gliomas cells as compared to the isolated glial culture.•The anticancer effect of juglone depends on excess production of intracellular ROS.•The ROS generation is partly mediated through interaction with the complex I.