Antioxidant and pro-oxidant effects of epinephrine and isoprenaline on peroxidation of LDL and lipid liposomes.

Antioxidant or pro-oxidant properties of epinephrine (EPI) and isoprenaline (ISO) were studied in the absence and presence of Fe2+, Fe3+ and Cu2+ ions. EPI and ISO (>2 micromol/l) inhibited peroxidation of low density lipoprotein (LDL) induced by 2, 2'-azobis(2-amidino-propane) (AAPH). EPI had a similar inhibitory potency as ISO, but their potency was several times higher than the potency of alpha-tocopherol (alpha-TOC). When the LDL peroxidation was induced by 5 micromol/l CuSO4, EPI and ISO enhanced LDL peroxidation at low concentrations (10micromol/l) and decreased peroxidation at higher concentrations (30 micromol/l). The compounds had a similar tendency to inhibit the peroxidation of phosphatidylcholine liposomes. EPI (3-30 micromol/l) inhibited lipid peroxidation of phosphatidylcholine liposomes induced by 2 mmol/l of AAPH, but it was less effective and even increased the peroxidation, when the samples contained 2 mmol/l AAPH with 50 micromol/l FeSO4 or 2 mmol/l AAPH with 20 micromol/l FeCl3. Inhibition of lipid peroxidation by EPI was also observed when studying decreased oxygen consumption, when the peroxidation of linoleic acid was induced by lipoxidase. In conclusion, EPI and ISO reduced lipid peroxidation, but they exhibit pro-oxidant properties in the presence of Fe2+, Fe3+ or Cu2+ ions, depending on the catecholamine and ionic concentration.