ALCOHOLS AND ETHANOLAMINES AS HYDROXYL RADICAL SCAVENGERS

Photogenerated hydroxyl radicals in a model system comprising aqueous solutions of dequalinium chloride and equimolar amounts of hydrogen pe roxide were studied in the presence of mono-, di- and triethanolamine. These compounds acted as hydroxyl radical scavengers, the maximal pot ency was observed with diethanolamine. Protonation of the basic centre of these amines maintained the hydroxyl radical scavenging properties with triethanolamine having the greatest effect. The reactions and th eir pharmaceutical implications are discussed. Extensions of this work to encompass 1,2-, 1,3- and 1,4- diols are described and show these c ompounds to have very modest hydroxyl radical scavenging properties.