[Effect of ambroxol on lipid peroxidation in homogenates of the human placenta]

Free radically induced lipid peroxidation has been suggested as a possible pathogenic factor in pregnancy complications. The placenta is a potential source of lipid peroxides, due to its high lipid concentration. Cells and tissues are protected against toxic lipid peroxides by antioxidants. Ambroxol was found to be equipotent to well-known antioxidants in protecting lipids from peroxidative attack in lungs. To date there is no information on ambroxol capacity to act as a lipid antioxidant in the human placenta. Therefore, the aim of our study was to investigate the effect of ambroxol on lipid peroxidation in homogenates of the human placenta by malondialdehyde measurements. Fourteen homogenates of placentas obtained from healthy women were incubated for 24 hours (pH = 7.4, temp. 37 degrees C) without (group II) and with (group III) ambroxol hydrochloride solutions (Boehringer Ingelheim--Germany) at concentration of 2200 ng/mL. Non-incubated homogenates were treated as a control group (group I). It was found that lipid peroxidation and malondialdehyde formation is significantly higher in group II homogenates than in the control group (p < 0.05). Incubation with ambroxol (group III) caused a non-significant increase of malondialdehyde concentration in comparison with the control group and a non-significant but distinct decrease when compared with group II (incubation without ambroxol). This investigation shows that ambroxol decreases malondialdehyde formation in homogenates of the human placenta and can be regarded as lipid antioxidant.