Sulfhydryl group in angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and superoxide radical formation

The superoxide radical scavenging effects of the SH group in the captopril molecule has been proposed to be the basis of the "cadioprotective" effect of this angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor in animal models of myocardial injury. We determined the effects of captopril, another ACE inhibitor with an SH group (SQ 26,703), its stereoisomer without ACE inhibitory effect but with an SH group (SQ 14,534), another ACE inhibitor without a SH group (enalaprilat), and N-acetylcysteine on superoxide radical generation by human neutrophils and by the purine-xanthine oxidase reaction. None of the compounds examined decreased superoxide radicals in therapeutic concentrations; however, SH-containing agents directly reduced spectrophotometric absorbance of ferricytochrome C. Thus, SH-containing agents with or without ACE inhibitory effects do not scavenge superoxide radicals.