The role of aminochromes in ultraweak luminescence accompanying oxidative metabolism of catecholamines in model systems in vitro.

Ultraweak luminescence (UWL) accompanying oxidative transformations of catecholamines (CA) into melanins, particularly adrenaline and noradrenaline in the model system CA + Fe(CN)6(3-) + OH(-) + H2O2 in vitro was investigated by spectroscopic methods. Separate steps of the oxidative transformations from CA to melanins were analyzed with respect to their energetic/spectroscopic properties in order to evaluate the possibility of chemiexcitation and light emission. Results of experiments with pure adrenochrome + H2O2 + OH- provided evidence pointing to the key role of the interaction between aminochromes and active oxygen species.