[Thiobarbituric acid positive substances as indicators of lipid peroxidation]

Polyenic acids of particularly membrane-bound lipids can be disintegrated non-enzymatically by oxygen radicals or enzymatically by peroxidation. Final products of the lipid peroxidation are malon dialdehyde, n-alcanes, n-alcanales, hydroxyalcanales, 2-alcenales. Alca-2,4-dienales. Hydroxyalcenales and ketones. Products of lipid peroxidation can react with proteins and glycosaminoglycans. Thus receptor binding of the LDL, enzyme activities, DNA- and protein synthesis can be inhibited. Of the peroxidation products malon dialdehyde is relatively specifically recognizable by the reaction of the thiobarbituric acid. Size and clinical significance of processes of lipid peroxidation are up to now only little known in several diseases, but they might be of great importance for numerous pathological processes.