Inhibition of rat liver microsomal lipid peroxidation by N-acyldehydroalanines: an in vitro comparative study

Captodative substituted olefins are radical scavengers which react with free radicals to form stabilized radical adducts. One of those compounds, N-(paramethoxyphenylacetyl)dehydroalanine (AD-5), may react and scavenge both superoxide anion (O-2) and alk-oxyl radicals (RO.), and in this way prevent the appearance of their mediated biological effects. Nitrofurantoin and tert-butyl hydroperoxide were used as model compounds to stimulate free radical production and their mediated lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomes. In addition, lipid peroxidation was also initiated by exposure of rat liver microsomal suspensions to ionizing radiation (gamma rays). The microsomal lipid peroxidation induced by these chemicals and physical agents was inhibited by the addition of AD-5. These effects were dose-dependent in a millimolar range of concentration. In addition, AD-5 has no effect on microsomal electron transport, showing that NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase activity was not modified. These data, together with the comparisons of the effects of AD-5 and some antioxidant molecules such as superoxide dismutase, uric acid, and mannitol, support the conclusion that inhibition of lipid peroxidation by AD-5 is the result of its free radical scavenger activity. In addition, the inhibitory effect of AD-5 on microsomal lipid peroxidation was dependent of the nature of the free radical species involved in the initiation of the process, suggesting that O-2 is scavenged more efficiently than RO.