TAMOXIFEN INHIBITS LIPID-PEROXIDATION IN CARDIAC-MICROSOMES - COMPARISON WITH LIVER-MICROSOMES AND POTENTIAL RELEVANCE TO THE CARDIOVASCULAR BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH CANCER PREVENTION AND TREATMENT BY TAMOXIFEN

Tamoxifen and 4-hydroxytamoxifen were both good inhibitors of iron-dep endent lipid peroxidation in rat cardiac microsomes. Tamoxifen was als o a good inhibitor of lipid peroxidation in liposomes prepared from th e phospholipid obtained from rat liver microsomes. In a modified rat l iver microsomal system containing a sufficiently low amount of peroxid izable phospholipid to make it comparable with the rat cardiac microso mal system, tamoxifen and 4-hydroxytamoxifen were of similar effective ness as in the cardiac system. Tamoxifen is known to lower serum chole sterol levels, and the findings reported here indicate that the drug m ight also protect heart cell membranes against peroxidative damage. Po tential cardioprotective and antiatherosclerotic benefits of tamoxifen are discussed in relation to the drug's use in cancer prevention and treatment.