The study of antioxidant properties of the cytoprotective drug trimetazidine

Antioxidant activity of trimetazidine as assessed in vitro with the use of Cu2+-induced free radical oxidation of human plasma low density lipoprotein s (LDL) was found to be about two orders of magnitude lower than that of pr obucol. ESR-spectroscopy did not reveal free radical intermediates of trime tazidine in the presence of generated lipid alkoxyl or hydroxyl radicals,. i.e. under conditions when phenoxyl radicals of probucol were readily forme d. Trimetazidine was not a scavenger of superoxide radicals generated durin g oxidation of xanthine by xanthine oxidase so far after as it did not supp ress superoxide-dependent reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium. Nevertheless after 1 month of treatment with trimetazidine there occurred pronounced dec rease of content of products of free radical oxidation (lipoperoxides and m alondialdehyde) in atherogenic LDL isolated from plasma of patients with is chemic heart disease. At the same time activity of lipoperoxide utilizing e nzyme in the plazma - glutathione peroxidase - substantially increased. Thu s although trimetazidine did not interact directly with free radicals it wa s able to weaken negative effect of intensification of free radical oxidati on during ishemic heart disease at the account of indirect augmentation of the antioxidant enzymes activity.