Inhibition of membrane peroxidation in thalassaemic erythrocytes by 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid.

Both iron and precipitated haemoglobin may catalyse the formation of free radicals, which in turn react with the polyunsaturated fatty acids of membranes leading to membrane failure and cell death. 2,3-Dihydroxybenzoic acid (2,3-DHB), a recently identified, orally effective iron-chelating drug, inhibited membrane peroxidation in vitro in H2O2-stressed erythrocytes from patients with beta-thalassaemia major, beta-thalassaemia intermedia, haemoglobin Köln disease and sickle cell disease. We present evidence suggesting that the inhibition of peroxidation is due to ability of 2,3-DHB to scavenge free radicals via quinone formation, a mechanism analogous to that proposed for vitamin E.