Resistive breathing activates the glutathione redox cycle and impairs performance of rat diaphragm.

Free radical activation and lipid peroxidation have been described in skeletal muscle during strenuous exercise. We hypothesized that oxygen radicals could also be formed in the diaphragm muscle during strenuous resistive breathing and that these radicals might affect diaphragm function. Seven control and 12 experimental male Sprague-Dawley rats were studied. Six experimental animals were subjected to resistive breathing (RB) alone and six animals received 15 min of mechanical ventilatory support (MV) after the resistive breathing period. Inspiratory resistance was adjusted to maintain airway opening pressure at 70% maximum in both groups until exhaustion. Diaphragm samples were obtained for analysis of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBAR), reduced glutathione (GSH), and glutathione disulfide (GSSG). In vitro isometric contraction times, twitch (Pt) tension and maximum tetanic (Po) tension, force-frequency curves, fatigue index, and recovery index were measured. In RB and MV compared with controls, there were significant decreases in Pt and Po. Diaphragm TBAR concentrations were increased in MV compared with controls or RB. GSSG-to-total glutathione ratio was increased in RB and MV compared with controls. Production of free radicals during RB and MV may represent an important mechanism of diaphragmatic injury that could contribute to the decline in contractility.     

Effect of inspiratory muscle fatigue on breathing pattern during inspiratory resistive loading

The purpose of this study was to determine whether induction of either inspiratory muscle fatigue (expt 1) or diaphragmatic fatigue (expt 2) would alter the breathing pattern response to large inspiratory resistive loads. In particular, we wondered whether induction of fatigue would result in rapid shallow breathing during inspiratory resistive loading. The breathing pattern during inspiratory resistive loading was measured for 5 min in the absence of fatigue (control) and immediately after induction of either inspiratory muscle fatigue or diaphragmatic fatigue. Data were separately analyzed for the 1st and 5th min of resistive loading to distinguish between immediate and sustained effects. Fatigue was achieved by having the subjects breathe against an inspiratory threshold load while generating a predetermined fraction of either the maximal mouth pressure or maximal transdiaphragmatic pressure until they could no longer reach the target pressure. Compared with control, there were no significant alterations in breathing pattern after induction of fatigue during either the 1st or 5th min of resistive loading, regardless of whether fatigue was induced in the majority of the inspiratory muscles or just in the diaphragm. We conclude that the development of inspiratory muscle fatigue does not alter the breathing pattern response to large inspiratory resistive loads.     

Protective influence of oxypurinol on the trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid(TNB) model of inflammatory bowel disease in rats.

Chronic inflammation of the colon and the rectum was induced by intracolonic administration of 25 mg trinitrobenzoic sulfonic acid (TNB) in 0.25 ml 30% ethanol. Three weeks after TNB administration the colon and the rectum showed transmural, granulomatous inflammation which had many similarities to Crohn's disease and furthermore to the morphological and functional changes which occur in early phases of postischemic intestinal damage. In the colon of TNB-treated animals the ATP and GTP levels were markedly decreased. The accumulation of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBA-RS) demonstrated a free radical-mediated component of the tissue damage. Treatment with oxypurinol radical scavenger and xanthine oxidoreductase inhibitor diminished the morphological changes, the loss of energy-rich nucleotides and the TBA-RS accumulation.     

UVA-induced lipid peroxidation in cultured human fibroblasts

The UVA irradiation of cultured human fibroblasts leads to the formation and to the release of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances in the supernatant. The major thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance is identified by fluorescence spectroscopy and HPLC, as malondialdehyde or malondialdehyde-forming substances under the thiobarbituric acid assay conditions. Malondialdehyde formation strongly suggests a UVA-induced lipid peroxidation. Lipid peroxidation is also supported by the inhibitory effect of D,L-alpha-tocopherol, the well-known chain breaking antioxidant, by the additional malondialdehyde formation in the dark after the photooxidative stress and by membrane damage revealed by lactate dehydrogenase leakage.     

Phospholipid Degradation and Cellular Edema Induced by Free Radicals in Brain Cortical Slices

Abstract: Cellular edema and increased lactate production were induced in rat brain cortical slices by xanthine oxidase and xanthine, in the presence of ferric ions. Lipid peroxidation, as measured by thiobarbituric acid-reactive malon-dialdehyde, was increased 174%. Among the various subcellular fractions of brain cortex, xanthine oxidase-stimulated lipid peroxidation was highest in myelin, mitochondria, and synaptosomes, followed by microsomes and nuclei. Antioxidants, catalase, chlorpromazine, and butylated hydroxytoluene inhibited lipid peroxidation in both homogenates and synaptosomes, indicating H₂O₂ and radicals were involved. Further, several free fatty acids, especially oleic acid (18:1), arachidonic acid (20:4), and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6) were released from the phospholipid pool concomitant with the degradation of membrane phospholipids in xanthine oxidase-treated synaptosomes. These data suggest that Upases are activated by free radicals and lipid peroxides in the pathogenesis of cellular swelling.     

Differential effects of 3 beta blockers on lipid peroxidation in hyperthyroid muscle.

To determine whether beta blockade protects against the acceleration of lipid peroxidation in hyperthyroid rat soleus (slow-oxidative) muscle, in vivo chronic (3 weeks) effects of 3 beta blockers with different ancillary properties on mitochondrial oxidative enzymes, antioxidant enzymes, and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances were investigated. The rats were rendered hyperthyroid by the administration of thyroxine and treated simultaneously with either carteolol (a nonselective blocker with partial agonist activity; 30 mg/kg/day), atenolol (a beta 1-selective blocker; 50 mg/kg/day), or arotinolol (a nonselective blocker with weak alpha-blocking action; 50 mg/kg/day) over a 3 week period. Hyperthyroidism induced tachycardia, an increase in the mitochondrial oxidative enzymes, manganese (mitochondrial) superoxide dismutase and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, and a decrease in the other antioxidant enzymes. The tachycardia was alleviated completely by either atenolol or arotinolol, but partially by carteolol. Arotinolol, but neither carteolol nor atenolol, inhibited the increase in oxidative enzymes and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances. The levels of antioxidant enzymes were minimally affected by the beta-blocker treatment. Beta 2-, and possibly alpha- as well, but not beta 1-, blockade suppressed mitochondrial hypermetabolism and protected against peroxidative injury in the hyperthyroid soleus muscle. Partial agonist activity was not beneficial.     

Formation of age pigment-like fluorescent substances during peroxidation of lipids in model membranes

The formation of age pigment-like fluorescent substances during the lipid peroxidation of model membranes has been studied. Ferrous ion and ascorbate-induced lipid peroxidation of liposomal membranes containing phosphatidylethanolamine led to the formation of fluorescent substances which have characteristics similar to those of compounds derived from the reaction of phosphatidylethanolamine with purified fatty acid hydroperoxides. The fluorescent substances were accumulated in liposomal membranes, whereas thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances formed during lipid preoxidation were immediately released from the liposomal membranes. The thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances free from the membranes were not reactive with amino compounds such as phosphatidylethanolamine in liposomes or glycine in aqueous phase. It was suggested that the products reacting with amino compounds are short-lived, and may be rapidly inactivated after released into aqueous phase. The formation of fluorescent products was inefficient when phosphatidylethanolamine incorporated into the liposomes insensitive to lipid preoxidation was incubated with ferrous ion and ascorbate in the presence of liposomes sensitive to the peroxidation. The results suggest that some products generated from peroxidation-sensitive lipids react with the amino group of phosphatidylethanolamine molecules which are located on the same membranes, forming fluorescent substances. The presence of phosphatidylethanolamine in the membrane suppressed the formation of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, suggesting that phosphatidylethanolamine may react with radicals formed and terminate the propagation.     

Preferential fatigue of the rib cage muscles during inspiratory resistive loaded ventilation

Because the inspiratory rib cage muscles are recruited during inspiratory resistive loaded breathing, we hypothesized that such loading would preferentially fatigue the rib cage muscles. We measured the pressure developed by the inspiratory rib cage muscles during maximal static inspiratory maneuvers (Pinsp) and the pressure developed by the diaphragm during maximal static open-glottis expulsive maneuvers (Pdimax) in four human subjects, both before and after fatigue induced by an inspiratory resistive loaded breathing task. Tasks consisted of maintaining a target esophageal pressure, breathing frequency, and duty cycle for 3-5 min, after which the subjects maintained the highest esophageal pressure possible for an additional 5 min. After loading, Pinsp decreased in all subjects [control, -128 +/- 14 (SD) cmH2O; with fatigue, -102 +/- 18 cmH2O; P less than 0.001, paired t test]. Pdimax was unchanged (control, -192 +/- 23 cmH2O; fatigue, -195 +/- 27 cmH2O). These data suggest that 1) inability to sustain the target during loading resulted from fatigue of the inspiratory rib cage muscles, not diaphragm, and 2) simultaneous measurement of Pinsp and Pdimax may be useful in partitioning muscle fatigue into rib cage and diaphragmatic components.     

N-acetylcysteine administration alters the response to inspiratory loading in oxygen-supplemented rats

Supinski, G. S., D. Stofan, R. Ciufo, and A. DiMarco.N-acetylcysteine administrationalters the response to inspiratory loading in oxygen-supplemented rats.J. Appl. Physiol. 82(4): 1119-1125, 1997.Based on recent studies, it has been suggested that free radicals are elaborated in the respiratory muscles during strenuous contractions and contribute to the development of muscle fatigue. If this theory is correct, then it should be possible toattenuate the development of diaphragm fatigue and/or delay theonset of respiratory failure during loaded breathing by administering afree radical scavenger. The purpose of the present experiment was,therefore, to examine the effect ofN-acetylcysteine (NAC), a free radicalscavenger and glutathione precursor, on the evolution of respiratoryfailure in decerebrate unanesthetized rats breathing against a largeinspiratory resistive load. We compared the inspiratory volume andpressure generation over time in animals pretreated with either salineor NAC (150 mg/kg) and then loaded until respiratory arrest. Afterarrest, the diaphragm was excised, and samples were assayed for reduced(GSH) and oxidized glutathione. As a control, we also assessedrespiratory function and glutathione concentrations in groups ofnonloaded saline- and NAC-treated animals. We found that NAC-treatedanimals were able to tolerate loading better than the saline-treatedgroup, maintaining higher inspiratory pressures and sustaining higherinspired volumes. Administration of NAC also increased the time thatanimals could tolerate loading before the development of respiratoryarrest. In addition, although saline-treated loaded animals hadsignificant reductions in diaphragmatic GSH levels compared withunloaded controls, the magnitude of this reduction was blunted by NACadministration (i.e., GSH averaged 965 ± 113, 568 ± 83, 907 ± 39, and 784 ± 61 nmol/g for unloaded-saline, loaded-saline,unloaded-NAC, and loaded-NAC groups, P < 0.05, with the value for the loaded-saline group lower than thevalues for the two unloaded groups; GSH for the loaded-NAC group was not different, however, from unloaded controls). These data demonstrate that administration of NAC, a free radical scavenger, slows the rate ofdevelopment of respiratory failure during inspiratory resistiveloading.

     

Nephrotoxicity and its prevention by vitamin E in ferric nitrilotriacetate-promoted lipid peroxidation

Iron and aluminum complexes of nitrilotriacetic acid cause severe nephrotoxicity in Wistar rats. In addition, a high incidence of renal cell carcinoma is seen in ferric nitrilotriacetate-treated animals. The present study was performed to see if lipid peroxidation is involved in ferric nitrilotriacetate toxicity. Ferric nitrilotriacetate had more bleomycin-detectable 'free' iron than any ferric salt, while iron complexed with desferrioxamine or ferric chondroitin sulfate had none. The toxicity of ferric nitrilotriacetate in vivo was more pronounced in vitamin E-deficient rats. A thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance was present in the kidneys of vitamin E-deficient rats in amounts markedly elevated compared to vitamin E-sufficient, or vitamin E-supplemented rats. Non-complexed nitrilotriacetate or aluminum nitrilotriacetate did not produce any thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance in vitamin E-sufficient rats died by the 58th day of administration. We suggest that the iron-stimulated production of free radicals leading to lipid peroxidation is the major cause of ferric nitrilotriacetate-mediated renal toxicity. Vitamin E, a known scavenger of free radicals, is effective in protecting against this iron-induced toxicity.     

Antioxidant activity of dihydrolipoate against microsomal lipid peroxidation and its dependence on alpha-tocopherol

The antioxidant effect of dihydrolipoate and lipoate was examined in microsomal fractions obtained from normal and alpha-tocopherol-deficient animals after initiation of lipid peroxidation with an NADPH/iron/ADP system. Dihydrolipoate prolonged the lag phase before the onset of low-level chemiluminescence and before the rapid accumulation of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances in normal but not in vitamin E-deficient microsomes. Lipoate did not show such an antioxidant effect. It is concluded that the dihydrolipoate-mediated protection against lipid peroxidation by prolonging the lag phase is dependent on alpha-tocopherol. Likewise, dihydrolipoate prolonged the lag phase before the onset of the rapid loss of vitamin E during lipid peroxidation. Dihydrolipoate, like other biological thiols such as GSH, also affects the peroxidative process after the lag period. The effects included a smaller slope of the chemiluminescence increase, a lower maximal level of chemiluminescence, a slower loss of alpha-tocopherol and a slower accumulation, but unchanged maximal levels, of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances. The biological significance may be most prominent in the mitochondrial matrix space, where lipoamide-containing ketoacid dehydrogenases are located. A potential pharmacological use of this biological dithiol in conditions associated with oxidative stress could be based on the antioxidant activity of dihydrolipoate.     

Glutathione-dependent protection by rat liver microsomal protein against lipid peroxidation

GSH is an important cellular defense against oxidant injury. Its effect in the rat liver microsomal lipid peroxidation system has been examined. Incubation of fresh rat liver microsomes with ascorbic acid and ADP-chelated iron leads to the peroxidation of microsomal lipids (production of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and destruction of polyunsaturated fatty acids) following a 2 to 5 min lag. Addition of 0.1 mM GSH to the system lengthened the lag period by 5 to 15 min without affecting the rate or the extent of lipid peroxidation. GSH could not be replaced in prolonging the lag by cysteine, mercaptoethanol, dithiothreitol, propylthiouracil, or GSSG. The GSH effect on the lag was abolished by heating or trypsin digestion of the microsomes, indicating that microsomal protein is required for its expression. Progressively longer lags were observed as the GSH concentration was increased from 0.1 to 5 mM, but there was no evidence of GSH oxidation as a consequence of the protection against lipid peroxidation. GSH protected against heat inactivation of the microsomal protein responsible for the GSH effect. Experiments with an oxygen electrode revealed that the GSH protection did not alter the ratio of O₂ consumed to thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances produced. This implicated free radical scavenging as the mechanism of protection. These results indicate the existence of a GSH-dependent rat liver microsomal protein which scavenges free radical. This protein may be an important defense against free radical injury to the microsomal membrane.     

Effects of augmented respiratory muscle pressure production on locomotor limb venous return during calf contraction exercise.

We determined effects of augmented inspiratory and expiratory intrathoracic pressure or abdominal pressure (Pab) excursions on within-breath changes in steady-state femoral venous blood flow (Qfv) and net Qfv during tightly controlled (total breath time = 4 s, duty cycle = 0.5) accessory muscle/"rib cage" (DeltaPab <2 cmH2O) or diaphragmatic (DeltaPab >5 cmH2O) breathing. Selectively augmenting inspiratory intrathoracic pressure excursion during rib cage breathing augmented inspiratory facilitation of Qfv from the resting limb (69% and 89% of all flow occurred during nonloaded and loaded inspiration, respectively); however, net Qfv in the steady state was not altered because of slight reductions in femoral venous return during the ensuing expiratory phase of the breath. Selectively augmenting inspiratory esophageal pressure excursion during a predominantly diaphragmatic breath at rest did not alter within-breath changes in Qfv relative to nonloaded conditions (net retrograde flow = -9 +/- 12% and -4 +/- 9% during nonloaded and loaded inspiration, respectively), supporting the notion that the inferior vena cava is completely collapsed by relatively small increases in gastric pressure. Addition of inspiratory + expiratory loading to diaphragmatic breathing at rest resulted in reversal of within-breath changes in Qfv, such that >90% of all anterograde Qfv occurred during inspiration. Inspiratory + expiratory loading also reduced steady-state Qfv during mild- and moderate-intensity calf contractions compared with inspiratory loading alone. We conclude that 1) exaggerated inspiratory pressure excursions may augment within-breath changes in femoral venous return but do not increase net Qfv in the steady state and 2) active expiration during diaphragmatic breathing reduces the steady-state hyperemic response to dynamic exercise by mechanically impeding venous return from the locomotor limb, which may contribute to exercise limitation in health and disease.     

Oxidative stress as a prerequisite for aflatoxin production by Aspergillus parasiticus

The relevance of free radical generation and oxidative stress with regard to aflatoxin production was examined by comparing the oxygen requirement and antioxidant status of a toxigenic strain of Aspergillus parasiticus with that of a nontoxigenic strain at early (trophophase) and late logarithmic (idiophase) growth phases. In comparison to the nontoxigenic strain, wherein the oxygen requirements were relatively unaltered at various growth phases, the toxigenic strain exhibited greater oxygen requirements at trophophase coinciding with onset of aflatoxin production. The activities of antioxidant enzymes such as xanthine oxidase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase and the mycelial contents of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances as well as of reduced glutathione were all enhanced during the progression of toxigenic strain from trophophase to idiophase. The combined results suggest that aflatoxin production by the toxigenic strain may be a consequence of increased oxidative stress leading to enhanced lipid peroxidation and free radical generation.     

Metabolite changes in the loaded hypoperfused and failing diaphragm

Metabolite changes in the costal diaphragm were determined in anesthetized dogs subjected to a moderate inspiratory elastic load and to reduced blood flow. Diaphragmatic blood flow was reduced by occlusion of the descending aorta and internal mammary arteries. The goal of this study was to demonstrate that the failing diaphragm under these conditions shows biochemical changes similar to that of skeletal muscle fatigue. Selected metabolite concentrations were determined 1) during mechanical ventilation and normal blood flow, 2) during blood flow reduction and inspiratory loading when the ratio of airway pressure to diaphragmatic electromyogram (Paw/Edi) had decreased by 50% (fatigue), and 3) at 1 h after restoration of blood flow and mechanical ventilation (recovery). During fatigue, glycogen, ATP, and phosphocreatine were 30, 50, and 50% of control levels, respectively. Glucose 6-phosphate and lactate were two- and fivefold higher, respectively, than control concentrations. During recovery, all metabolites, except ATP and lactate, returned to control concentrations. These changes were not seen in resting ischemic skeletal muscles or in the diaphragmatic samples of the mechanically ventilated animals with diaphragmatic blood flow limitation. We conclude that when the loaded and hypoperfused diaphragm fails, as indicated by lower than control Paw/Edi, metabolite changes similar to that observed in fatigued skeletal muscle occur.     

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes-induced injury in hypoxic cardiac myocytes

Growing evidence suggests that free radicals derived from polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) play an important role in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. To elucidate the cellular mechanism by which activated PMNs exacerbate ischemic myocardial damage, we investigated the extent of cell injury, assessed by the morphological deterioration, free radical generation, and lipid peroxidation in mouse embryo myocardial cells coincubated with activated PMNs. The generation of PMN-derived free radicals was related to the extent of myocardial cell injury. When myocardial cell sheets were subjected to hypoxia and glucose-free media, myocardial cells were injured (cristalysis in the mitochondria and disruption of the sarcolemma) after adding various PMN activators, and the injury extended to the adjacent cells. Chemiluminescent emission and production of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances in the coincubated cells increased markedly compared with myocardial cells or PMNs alone. The augmented lipid peroxidation coincided with the progression of myocardial cell injury. Catalase inhibited the myocardial cell injury by 52%, the chemiluminescence by 46%, and lipid peroxidation by 50%, whereas superoxide dismutase exhibited less pronounced inhibition. These results indicate that a chain reaction of lipid peroxidation in myocardial cells induced by PMN-derived free radicals closely correlates with membrane damage and contributes to the propagation of irreversible myocardial cell damage.     

Halogenated compounds as inducers of lipid peroxidation in tissue slices

Twenty-seven halogenated compounds were screened as potential inducers of lipid peroxidation in rat liver, kidney, spleen, and testes slices. In addition to the known lipid peroxidation inducers--carbon tetrachloride and bromotrichloromethane--the novel compounds carbon tetrabromide, p-bromobenzyl bromide, and benzyl bromide increased lipid peroxidation in each of the tissues studied. Lipid peroxidation was measured by release of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) from the tissue slices. The amount of TBARS released from liver slices incubated with bromotrichloromethane, carbon tetrabromide, dichloromethane, bromobenzene, chloroform, bromoform, benzyl chloride, bromochloromethane, and carbon tetrabromide correlated with the lethality of these compounds as evaluated by their oral LD50 in rats. The lethality of a number of the compounds tested did not correlate with their capacity to induce lipid peroxidation.     

Effects of deoxycholic acid and its epimers on lipid peroxidation in isolated rat hepatocytes

We studied the effects of deoxycholic acid and its three epimers with beta-hydroxyl groups (3alpha,12beta-, 3beta,12alpha-, and 3beta,12beta-dihydroxy-5beta-cholan-24-oic acids), which were hydrophilic and less cytotoxic, on lipid peroxidation to elucidate the relationship between structural features of bile acids and their effect on lipid peroxidation. Taurodeoxycholate markedly increased the production of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, end products of lipid peroxidation, in isolated rat hepatocytes, whereas epimers of taurodeoxycholate did not. Deoxycholic acid inhibited mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase and NADH:ferricytochrome c oxidoreductase activities, leading to free radical generation, whereas epimers of deoxycholic acid had no effect on mitochondrial enzymes. These findings suggested that hydrophobic bile acids cause lipid peroxidation by impairment of mitochondrial function, leading to the generation of free radicals; and epimerization of alpha-hydroxyl groups in the steroid nucleus to beta-hydroxyl groups results in a decrease of the toxic effects of deoxycholic acid on lipid peroxidation.     

Effects of long-chain N-acylethanolamines on lipid peroxidation in cardiac mitochondria

A long-chain N-acylethanolamine (N-oleoyl-2-aminoethanol) is shown to inhibit the production of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances in rat heart mitochondria treated with Fe2+ or Fe3+/ADP. The inhibition is concentration-dependent in the range 50-150 microM of the agent and can be nearly complete depending on the type and amount of the free radical-generating system. Structural analogues of N-acylethanolamine are inhibitory as well, but neither oleic acid nor ethanol-amine has measurable effects. N-Oleoyl-2-aminoethanol affects peroxidation of linoleic acid micelles only minimally and has no effect on deoxyribose peroxidation.     

Cinnamophilin as a novel antiperoxidative cytoprotectant and free radical scavenger

The antioxidant properties of cinnamophilin were evaluated by studying its ability to react with relevant reactive oxygen species, and its protective effect on cultured cells and biomacromolecules under oxidative stress. Cinnamophilin concentration-dependently suppressed non-enzymatic iron-induced lipid peroxidation in rat brain homogenates with an IC50 value of 8.0+/-0.7 microM and iron ion/ADP/ascorbate-initiated rat liver mitochondrial lipid peroxidation with an IC50 value of 17.7+/-0.2 microM. It also exerted an inhibitory activity on NADPH-dependent microsomal lipid peroxidation with an IC50 value of 3.4+/-0.1 microM without affecting microsomal electron transport of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase. Both 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azo-bis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride-derived peroxyl radical tests demonstrated that cinnamophilin possessed marked free radical scavenging capacity. Cinnamophilin significantly protected cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells (A7r5) against alloxan/iron ion/H2O2-induced damage resulting in cytoplasmic membranous disturbance and mitochondrial potential decay. By the way, cinnamophilin inhibited copper-catalyzed oxidation of human low-density lipoprotein, as measured by fluorescence intensity and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance formation in a concentration-dependent manner. On the other hand, it was reactive toward superoxide anions generated by the xanthine/xanthine oxidase system and the aortic segment from aged spontaneously hypertensive rat. Furthermore, cinnamophilin exerted a divergent effect on the respiratory burst of human neutrophil by different stimulators. Our results show that cinnamophilin acts as a novel antioxidant and cytoprotectant against oxidative damage.