Effect of free radical scavengers and metal ion chelators on hydrogen peroxide and phenylhydrazine induced red blood cell lipid peroxidation.

Desferrioxamine a well-known iron chelator was found to decrease hydrogen peroxide and phenylhydrazine induced lipid peroxidation of red blood cell membranes assessed by hydrocarbon gas release and loss of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Hydroxyl radical scavengers like mannitol and thiourea and proteins like albumin were unable to reduce peroxidative reactions to our system. Addition of uric acid (in an unphysiological concentration of 5 mM) to the incubation medium resulted in a slight reduction in H2O2/phenylhydrazine mediated break-down of arachidonic (20:4) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6) in the erythrocyte membrane and consequently in a decreased alkane release and haemolysis.