New model system for testing effects of flavonoids on doxorubicin-related formation of hydroxyl radicals.

Doxorubicin belongs to anthracycline cytotoxic drugs and it is widely used as a major therapeutic agent in the treatment of various types of tumors. However,its therapeutic use is limited by the development of myelosuppression and cardiotoxicity after a specific cumulative dose is reached. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of flavonoids, either natural or synthetic on doxorubicin-mediated formation of oxidative stress implicated in doxorubicin toxicity. Doxorubicin caused a concentration-dependent increase in the formation of hydroxyl radicals in minipig liver microsomes used as an in-vitro model system. When bacterial membranes heterologously expressing human NADPH cytochrome-P450 oxidoreductase were incubated with doxorubicin, formation of the superoxide radical under aerobic conditions and the doxorubicin­semiquinone radical under anaerobic conditions was detected. Forty different flavonoids were tested for their potency to prevent NADPH-induced or Fe2+-induced peroxidation of lipids in the microsomal system. According to the results, seven flavonoids were selected for evaluation of their potency to inhibit doxorubicin-dependent formation of hydroxyl radicals assessed by electron spin resonance. Myricetin, fisetin, and kaempferol were found to produce a significant protective effect against hydroxyl radicals in the minipig liver microsomal system. In conclusion, this study shows the use of a novel cost-effective in-vitro model system for preselection of antioxidants for testing of their protective effects against toxicity of anthracyclines and potentially other oxidative stress-inducing chemicals.

Different antioxidant effects of polyphenols on lipid peroxidation and hydroxyl radicals in the NADPH-, Fe-ascorbate- and Fe-microsomal systems.

Antioxidant and pro-oxidant effects of 14 naturally occurring polyphenols (PP) on rat liver microsomal lipid peroxidation (LP) and hydroxyl radical (*OH) production were studied in NADPH-dependent, 50 microM Fe(2+)-500 microM ascorbate (Fe-AA) or 50 microM Fe(2+) system, respectively. LP determined by the thiobarbituric acid method was inhibited in the NADPH system by flavonols and trans-resveratrol that were more effective than other flavonoids and derivatives of benzoic and cinnamic acid and were mostly more efficient than in the Fe-AA system. Inhibition of LP in the Fe system was higher by one order of magnitude than in the Fe-AA system. *OH production in the NADPH system, measured by formaldehyde production, was decreased by myricetin, fisetin and quercetin, but increased by kaempferol, morin and trans-resveratrol, indicating that z.rad;OH played a minor role in LP, which all of these PP inhibited. None of these PP at up to 40 microM concentration quenched *OH in the Fe-AA system. All tested PP, except trans-resveratrol and gentisic acid, spectrally interacted with Fe(2+) or Fe(3+), indicating formation of complexes or oxidation of PP. In contrast to the NADPH system we found no correlation between Fe(2+) chelation and inhibition of Fe-AA- or Fe-dependent LP indicating that iron chelation did not play a significant role in the two latter systems. It is concluded that the inhibition of LP by PP was apparently due to their hydrogen donating properties rather than chelation of iron.