Change in fluidity of brain endoplasmic reticulum membranes by oxygen free radicals: a protective effect of stobadine, alpha-tocopherol acetate, and butylated hydroxytoluene.

Effect of various oxygen free radical generating systems and an oxidant H2O2 on brain endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane fluidity was examined using fluorescent membrane probe 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene, DPH. The relative potency of free radical generating systems to decrease membrane fluidity increased in this order: FeCl3-EDTA, FeSO4-EDTA, FeSO4-EDTA/hydrogen peroxide. Potency to decrease membrane fluidity correlated well with these systems' potencies to induce lipid peroxidation, as detected by conjugated diene formation. Treatment of ER membranes with H2O2 had no effect on fluidity or conjugated diene formation. Using the two most potent free radical generating systems, FeSO4-EDTA and FeSO4-EDTA/hydrogen peroxide, a protective effect of the novel antihypoxic and antiarrhytmic drug stobadine was tested. Stobadine and two well-known antioxidants, alpha-tocopherol acetate and butylated hydroxytoluene, demonstrated the ability to prevent free radical induced alterations in ER membrane fluidity. These results provide new evidence of stobadine's protective effect on membranes attacked by oxygen free radicals.