Vanadate and molybdate stimulate the oxidation of NADH by superoxide radical.

Vanadate or molybdate strongly accelerate the cooxidation of NADH, or of reduced nicotinamide mononucleotide, by the xanthine oxidase plus xanthine reaction. Superoxide dismutase eliminated the effect of vanadate or molybdate, while catalase was without effect. It follows that vanadate or molybdate accelerate the oxidation of dihydropyridines by O-2. A stoichiometry of 4 NADH oxidized per O-2 introduced suggests a chain reaction for which a mechanism is proposed. These results provide an explanation for the reported stimulation, by vanadate, of NADH oxidation by biological membranes.