Ml. Cheng et al., Humic acid-mediated oxidative damages to human erythrocytes: A possible mechanism leading to anemia in Blackfoot disease, FREE RAD B, 27(3-4), 1999, pp. 470-477
Humic acid (HA) has been proposed as a factor that causes Blackfoot disease
, an endemic peripheral vascular disease prevailing in the southwest coast
of Taiwan. However, the relationship between HA and anemia associated with
Blackfoot disease remains unclear. In this study, we showed that HA imposed
damages on human red blood cells (RBCs),which were manifested as reduction
in deformability of RBCs and hemolysis. At concentrations ranging from 10
to 100 mu g/ml, HA caused lipid peroxidation in a dose-dependent manner. Su
ch changes were accompanied by a depletion of glutathione and a reduction i
n activities of the antioxidant enzymes including catalase, superoxide dism
utase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. These results indicate that H
A initiates oxidative stress on RBCs and results in their dysfunction. Cons
istent with our previous findings, the present study supports the notion th
at HA plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Blackfoot disease. (C)
1999 Elsevier Science Inc.