Evaluation of amiodarone free radical toxicity in rat hepatocytes

The possible roles of free radicals and lipid peroxidation in the mechanism of toxicity of amiodarone (AD) [2-butyl-3-(3',5'-diiodo-4' alpha-diethylaminoethoxybenzoyl)benzofuran] and its principle metabolite, desethylamiodarone (DE), were examined in primary cultured Sprague-Dawley male rat hepatocytes. AD (20 and 40 micrograms/ml) and DE (10 and 25 micrograms/ml) killed hepatocytes in concentration- and time-dependent fashions. Several antioxidants [Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (200 U/ml), catalase (200 U/ml), N,N'-diphenylphenylenediamine (DPPD; 25 microM), butylated hydroxytoluene (0.1 mM), and N-acetylcysteine (5 mM)] were incapable of preventing AD and DE hepatocyte toxicity. Only vitamin E (VE, d,l-alpha-tocopherol acetate; 20-200 microM) prevented AD and DE toxicity. No correlation between the onset of hepatocyte death by AD and DE and hepatocyte lipid peroxidation was seen. Both drugs inhibited NADPH-dependent rat liver microsomal superoxide production. These results, excluding the preventive effects of VE, do not support a free radical/lipid peroxidation mechanism of hepatocyte toxicity by AD and DE. VE may have prevented hepatocyte toxicity through non-antioxidant effects.