Action of ebselen as an antioxidant against lipid peroxidation.

The action of ebselen (2-phenyl-1,2-benzoisoselenazol-3(2H)-one) as an antioxidant was studied under various conditions to clarify how it prevents oxidative damage. It did not react with diphenylpicrylhydrazyl nor did it suppress the oxidation of methyl linoleate in acetonitrile solution or in aqueous dispersions induced by free radical initiator, suggesting that ebselen does not act as a potent radical scavenging antioxidant. On the other hand, it suppressed the oxidation of methyl linoleate emulsions in aqueous dispersions induced by iron. It also suppressed the spontaneous oxidation of rat brain and liver homogenates, but it did not suppress the oxidation of these homogenates induced by a free radical initiator. It was also found that ebselen reduced the fatty acid hydroperoxides to their corresponding alcohols and this reaction was enhanced by the presence of glutathione. These results suggest that ebselen acts as an antioxidant by reducing hydroperoxides, but that it does not act as a radical-scavenging antioxidant.