[Inhibition of lipid peroxidation by melanoprotein granules].

The effects of melanoprotein granules of the eye pigment epithelium and synthetic melanin on lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomes and azolectin liposomes were studied. It was shown that lipid peroxidation in the microsomes and liposomes induced by ascorbate or the Fe2+ + ascorbate system is effectively inhibited by the melanoprotein granules and synthetic melanin. The enzymatic lipid peroxidation in the microsomes induced by NADPH and NADPH + Fe2+ is insensitive to the effect of the melanoprotein granules, but is inhibited by synthetic melanin. It is assumed that melanin is mainly responsible for the inhibitory action of the melanoprotein granules.