Effect of ischemic anoxia and barbiturate anesthesia on free radical oxidation of mitochondrial phospholipids

The mitochondrial fraction obtained from brains of animals submitted to ischemia shows a decrease of phospholipid level, especially plasmalogens in the fraction of ethanolamine phospholipids and choline phospholipids. There appears simultaneously an increase of free radical oxidation processes of unsaturated fatty acids from these phospholipids. The peroxidation processes of mitochondrial lipids are stimulated by calcium ions and, to a smaller extent, by magnesium ions. Barbiturate anesthesia inhibits the peroxidation of fatty acids and increases the antioxidant abilities of the nervous tissue. Nembutal added in vitro remains without effect on the above processes. The effect of acetylcholine and the antioxidant ability of nervous tissue under barbiturate anesthesia with respect to ischemia are discussed.