ANTIOXIDANTS AS INHIBITORS OF LINOLEATE OXIDATION CATALYZED BY PLANT LIPOXIDASE AND BY HEMOLYZATES OF HUMAN ERYTHROCYTES
Hemolyzates of human erythrocytes catalyzed the oxidation of linoleate at pH 7 but not at pH 9. Hence the erythrocytes contained no lipoxidase and the catalytic action was probably due to hemoglobin. However, the time-activity curves for hemolyzates and for crystalline hemoglobin were not identical in shape. The oxidation of linoleate at pH 7 by plant lipoxidase was powerfully inhibited by phenothiazine and by phenylhydrazine. These compounds, and also α-tocopherol and α-naphthol, inhibited the catalytic activity of hemolyzates and of crystalline hemoglobin. It is probable that phenothiazine and phenylhydrazine act as antioxidants in these systems. Antioxidants in vivo may possibly play a role in protecting the unsaturated fatty acids of the erythrocyte membrane from oxidation catalyzed by hemoglobin.