An activator of the heat shock response; induces the expression of HSP70, HSP40, and HSP27; pretreatment protects cells from severe heat shock-induced death and H2O2-induced apoptosis; promotes folding of metastable proteins in models of conformational disease; reduces aggregate formation in PC12 cells expressing an expanded Huntingtin gene when used at a concentration of 10 μM; corrects trafficking of ΔF508-CFTR-containing proteins, leading to increased cell surface expression