Antiperoxide activity of sodium metabisulfite. A double-edged sword

Sulfites are chemical substances that are used widely in the pharmaceutical industry to reduce or prevent oxidation. Sodium metabisulfite (Na2S2O5) is still present in several parenteral amino acid solutions. Since intravenous lipid emulsions are contaminated by hydroperoxides, we evaluated whether metabisulfite had an antioxidant activity against hydroperoxides. In vitro, Na2S2O5 inhibited the oxidant activity of H2O2, tert-butyl-, and cumene hydroperoxides. The antioxidant capacity of metabisulfite was supported in vivo by the lower (P < 0.01) excretion of malondialdehyde, a stable end product of lipid peroxidation, in babies receiving metabisulfite in their parenteral nutrition. However, for concentrations outside the range found in solutions for parenteral nutrition, the reduction of hydroperoxides by Na2S2O5 could transform this compound into an oxidant, like a sulfite radical. It is suggested that metabisulfite has antiperoxide properties that, under specific conditions, contribute to the generation of toxic oxidants.