To ascertain any differences in myocardial injury exerted by the anthracyclines doxorubicin and epirubicin, their ability to generate oxygen free radicals when mixed with Fe(II) was examined in vitro using an oxygen electrode. 5–250 μg/ml doxorubicin or epirubicin consumed oxygen when mixed with 50 or 100 μmol/1 Fe(II). Addition of 75 μmol/1 cytochrome C showed that of the consumed oxygen, approximately 80% entered the monovalent pathway of oxygen reduction. The strong inhibitory effect of 250 mg/1 catalase indicates that most of the superoxide radicals generated are further reduced to hydrogen peroxide by both anthracyclines. Addition of metal chelators DTPA (100/μmol/1), or DDTC (50 μmol/1) did not affect oxygen consumption, whereas EDTA (100/μmol/1) or desferrioxamine (100 μmol/1) with anthracyclines and Fe(II) rather stimulated oxygen consumption. It is concluded that there are no significant differences in the amount or proportion of generated oxygen free radicals between doxorubicin and epirubicin when mixed with Fe(II) in a cell-free system in vitro. Thus, the ability of the anthracyclines, in conjunction with iron alone, to generate radicals does not explain the differences of the drugs in causing myocardial injury.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
Rapid Communication|
August 01 1987
Doxorubicin and epirubicin iron-induced generation of free radicals In vitro. A comparative study
Kjell Grankvist;
Kjell Grankvist
1Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital, S-901 85 Umeå, Sweden
2Department of Oncology, University Hospital, S-901 85 Umeå, Sweden
Search for other works by this author on:
Roger Henriksson
Roger Henriksson
1Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital, S-901 85 Umeå, Sweden
2Department of Oncology, University Hospital, S-901 85 Umeå, Sweden
Search for other works by this author on:
Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
August 10 1987
Online ISSN: 1573-4935
Print ISSN: 0144-8463
© 1986 Plenum Publishing Corporation
1986
Biosci Rep (1987) 7 (8): 653–658.
Article history
Received:
August 10 1987
Citation
Kjell Grankvist, Roger Henriksson; Doxorubicin and epirubicin iron-induced generation of free radicals In vitro. A comparative study. Biosci Rep 1 August 1987; 7 (8): 653–658. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01127678
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Sign in to your personal account
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Could not validate captcha. Please try again.
Biochemical Society Member Sign in
Sign InSign in via your Institution
Sign in via your InstitutionGet Access To This Article
Open Access for all
We offer compliant routes for all authors from 2025. With library support, there will be no author nor reader charges in 5 journals. Check here |
![]() |