Prostaglandin cytoprotection. Prostaglandin does not protect against aspirin- or alcohol-induced red blood cell hemolysis.

The hypothesis that prostaglandin cytoprotection involves cell membrane stabilization was tested in vitro using rat erythrocytes. Low concentrations of sodium acetylsalicylate, 0.02, 0.2, 2.0, and 20 mM, inhibited hypotonic hemolysis of red blood cell suspensions. While 35, 140, and 280 mM sodium acetylsalicylate had no hemolytic effect, 560 mM caused marked hemolysis. The prostaglandin E2 analog, 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin E2, 0.4 X 10(-3), 10(-4), and 10(-5) M concentrations, did not alter this hemolysis. Fourteen percent ethanol caused red cell hemolysis, and this was unaffected by the prostaglandin. The findings do not support the hypothesis.