The effect of peroxynitrite and some antioxidants on the rate of osmotic hemolysis of bovine erythrocytes

Bovine erythrocytes treated with peroxynitrite (ONOO-), a cytotoxic species formed in vivo via the reaction of nitric oxide (NO.) and the superoxide anion (O-2(-.)), show an increased rate of hemolysis on sudden osmotic stress. The increase in the rate was peroxynitrite concentration dependent. In the presence of some antioxidants (uric acid, ascorbic acid, glutathione, melatonin and albumin), this effect was significantly lower, with ascorbic acid as the most efficient antioxidant.