Antioxidant-mediated reversal of ultraviolet light cytotoxicity

Several antioxidants were tested for their protective effect in Chinese hamster embryo cell against ultraviolet light (UVL)-irradiation. Ascorbic acid, DL-alpha-tocopherol, butylated hydroxytoluene, and reduced glutathione were all shown to reverse UVL-induced cytotoxicity. At concentrations tested, no protective effect was detected when any of these antioxidants were added prior to UVL irradiation.