Factors affecting in vitro lipid peroxidation of rat brain homogenate.

Peroxidation of the unsaturated lipid of tissue homogenates is an established method to assess the antioxidant or vitamin E status of animals. In the present study the spontaneous lipid peroxidation in air of rat brain homogenates is reported. The effects of various factors like pH, time, concentration of tissues, temperature, ferrocompounds and catalysis by added tissues like liver are described. Rat brain homogenates appear to be a suitable preparation for in vitro studies of lipid peroxidation.