Induction of Lipid Peroxidation in Rat Liver Microsomes by Catecholamine-Iron Complex

Abstract

Epinephrine and norepinephrine, when either formed a complex with iron, were able to induce lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomes. The microsomal lipid peroxidation induced by them was NADPH-dependent. Adrenochrome, an oxidation product of epinephrine, was also able to induce microsomal lipid peroxidation in the presence of iron, but in this case it was mainly NADPH-independent. Catecholamines can be deleterious to biological systems, if they form complexes with iron and thus induce lipid peroxidation to some extent.