Evaluation of the free-radical-scavenging activity of diclofenac acid on the free-radical-induced haemolysis of human erythrocytes.

Free-radical-induced peroxidation in-vivo is regarded as the aetiology of some diseases and free-radical-scavenging drugs, also called antioxidants (AH), have been widely used to overcome oxidative stress. An in-vitro experimental method, 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane hydrochloride) (AAPH)-induced haemolysis of human erythrocytes can be applied to assess the free-radical-scavenging activity of a drug. The major objectives of this work were focused on three aspects. Firstly, introduction of the chemical kinetic deduction of free-radical-initiating reaction to AAPH-induced haemolysis of human erythrocytes, by which the number of free radicals trapped by an antioxidant, n, can be obtained after finding the quantitative relationship between the inhibition period (t(inh)) and the concentration of the antioxidant, t(inh) = (n/Ri) [AH]. Ri, the free-radical-initiating rate, was initially confirmed by using alpha-tocopherol (VE) whose n was taken as 2. Secondly, the free-radical-scavenging activity of diclofenac acid (DaH) and its sodium salt (DaNaH) was assessed. It has been found that DaH and DaNaH protect human erythrocytes against AAPH-induced haemolysis dose-dependently. In particular, the n values of DaH and DaNaH (4.96 and 3.60) were much higher than some traditional antioxidants, such as 6-hydroxyl-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid (Trolox, a water-soluble structural analogue of VE, n = 0.30) and L-ascorbic acid (VC, n = 0.25), and L-ascorbyl-6-laurate (VC-12, a lipophilic structural analogue of VC, n = 1.11). Moreover, the free-radical-scavenging activity of lipophilic antioxidants is higher than the corresponding water-soluble species. Thirdly, the free-radical-scavenging activity of mixed antioxidants, VE + DaH, VC-12 + DaH, Trolox + DaNaH and VC + DaNaH, was revealed. The n value of VC, VC-12, VE and Trolox increase in the case of mixed usage with DaH and DaNaH, implying that diclofenac acid can repair the radical of these antioxidants. Thus, a mutual antioxidant effect between diclofenac acid and these antioxidants prolongs the lifespan of VC, VC-12, VE and Trolox, respectively.