Desferrioxamine as a lipid chain-breaking antioxidant in sickle erythrocyte membranes.

The mechanism of action of desferrioxamine in the inhibition of the catalysis of iron-induced oxidative damage has been ascribed to its ability to chelate available ferric ion (Kb = 10(31)). However, recent work has proposed that the trihydroxamate moiety of desferrioxamine can also be involved in electron transfer reactions involving the superoxide radical, peroxidase/hydrogen peroxide mixtures and ferryl myoglobin radicals. In this study we report evidence for the ability of desferrioxamine to inhibit peroxidative damage to pathological membranes with which non-haem iron is associated through a mechanism of action as a lipid chain breaking antioxidant, independently of its iron chelating properties.