In vitro screening of iron chelators using models of free radical damage.

The effect of chelators on free radical damage to deoxyribose induced by iron, on IgG by UV irradiation, and on mouse muscle by homogenisation has been studied using the Thiobarbituric acid method and the increase in fluorescence in IgG mixtures. Although there were some variations on the effects of the chelators in the three models, it was shown that most of the chelators could inhibit the noxious effects of the free radicals and some which are orally effective in increasing iron excretion in animals could be potentially useful in preventing iron toxicity in related pathogenic diseases.