Antioxidant effects of hydroxybenzalacetones on peroxynitrite-induced lipid peroxidation in red blood cell membrane ghost and SOS response in Salmonella typhimurium TA4107/pSK1002

Antioxidant activity of a series of hydroxybenzalacetones was determined against peroxynitrite-induced lipid peroxidation in red blood cell membrane and SOS response through DNA damage in bacterial cells. Hydroxybenzalacetone derivatives with hydroxy, methoxy, ethoxy or methyl substitution were analyzed and found to be more effective than the water-soluble vitamin E analogue Trolox. The inhibitory effect against lipid peroxidation correlated well to that against the SOS response, which is dependent on decomposition of peroxynitrite by hydroxybenzalacetones outside of the cell membrane. The antioxidant activity was shown to correlate well with the electric parameter sigma+. Electron-donating substituents with more negative sigma+ values increased the potencies. The result suggests that hydroxybenzalacetones with more electron-donating substituents will protect tissue more effectively against oxidative stress.