On the mechanism of phenylhydrazine-induced hemolytic anemia

The thiobarbituric acid (TBA)-reactants have been measured in the circulating red blood cells (RBC) and RBC trapped in the spleens of normal and phenylhydrazine-treated rats. There was significant TBA-reactivity in the circulating RBC of phenylhydrazine-treated rats which was increased 3-fold in RBC obtained from the spleen. Since lipid peroxidation accompanies formation of TBA-reactive malonyldialdehyde, it is suggested that phenylhydrazine induces anemia as a consequence of peroxidation of RBC membrane lipids and this effect may be a result of the autoxidation of the drug and the interaction of oxygen radicals with membrane lipids.