91 Journal of PharmaSciTech Journal of PharmaSciTech 2013; 2(2):91-95 Research Article An In Vitro Study on Effect of Lactic Acid and Ascorbic Acid on Etoposide-Induced Lipid Peroxidation 1,* 1 1 2 Pritesh Devbhuti , Sanchita Roy , Radha Gobinda Sarkar , Debabrata Devbhuti 1 Gupta College of Technological Sciences, Asansol, West Bengal, India 2 Sree Ram Krishna Silpa Vidyapith, Suri, Birbhoom, West Bengal, India *Address for correspondence: P_devbhuti@rediffmail.com; Tel.:+91-8159834688 Abstract Lipid peroxidation, a free radical mediated process is involved in several injurious consequences like cardiomyopathy, neurodegenerative diseases, etc. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) is involved as a mediator of free radical related damage. Antioxidants have the capability to scavenge free radicals and protect tissues from ROS. Keeping in mind this fact the present in vitro study was carried out to evaluate the lipid peroxidation induction potential of etoposide, an antimalarial and its suppression with ascorbic acid and lactic acid using malondialdehyde (MDA) as laboratory marker. Liver homogenate was treated with drug as well as antioxidant and incubated for definite time period and MDA content was estimated in different samples. Result showed that etoposide could significantly induce lipid peroxidation and ascorbic acid and lactic acid could significantly inhibit etoposide-induced lipid peroxidation. It was further found from the study that antioxidant potential of lactic acid is more than that of ascorbic acid. Keywords: Lipid peroxidation, etoposide, malondialdehyde, lactic acid, ascorbic acid Introduction 7 remarkable toxicities that might hinder its wide applications. In some studies it was found that etoposide has pro-oxidant effect 8 also. Toxicities of etoposide might have a link with its free radical 9 generation capacity. Ascorbic acid is considered the most important water soluble 10-11 antioxidant in human plasma where it circulates at 12- concentrations of 20-60 μmol/ml in unsupplemented individuals. 13 It acts as an antioxidant both in vitro and in vivo. It functions as a free radical scavenger for active and stable oxygen radicals. In all types of oxidative stress ascorbic acid successfully prevents detectable oxidative damage strongly, suggesting that it should be helpful in preventing degenerative and other diseases in which 14 oxidative stress plays causative or exacerbating role. Lactic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid, also known as milk acid, is a chemical compound that plays a role in various biochemical processes. Lactic acid is miscible with water or ethanol, and is hygroscopic. In industry, lactic acid fermentation is performed by lactic acid bacteria. These bacteria can also grow in the mouth to 15-18 produce tooth decay known as caries. In medicine, lactate is one of the main components of Ringer Lactate Solution and Hartmann's Solution. Study showed that lactate ion has free 19 radical scavenging and antioxidant activity. As part of our ongoing research work to explore drug-induced lipid peroxidation and inhibitory actions of different antioxidants on 20 drug-induced lipid peroxidation, our present study has been The oxidative deterioration of polyunsaturated lipids is known as lipid peroxidation, which is a free radical related complex process known to occur in both plants and animals. It causes alteration of 1 the structure and function of cellular membrane. The events which are involved in lipid peroxidation include formation and propagation of lipid radicals, the uptake of oxygen, rearrangement of double bonds in unsaturated lipids and the destruction of membrane lipids producing different breakdown products like ethers, alcohols, 2 aldehydes and ketones. Peroxides and lipid hydroperoxides which are generated during lipid peroxidation are decomposed to yield several cytotoxic end products, most of which are mainly 3 aldehydes like malondialdehyde (MDA) and other aldehydes. These aldehydes are found to be involved in some of the pathophysiological effects associated with oxidative stress in cells 4 and tissues. MDA is always produced when lipid hydroperoxides 5 are metabolized in biological systems. Identification and quantification of this compound give an indirect index of oxidative injury which results in lipid peroxidation. MDA is in many instances 6 the most abundant aldehyde arising from lipid peroxidation. Etoposide is a semisynthetic derivative of epipodophyllotoxin usually used in combination with other anticancer compounds in the treatment of testicular, lung and other cancers as well as in Kaposi's sarcoma associated with AIDS. It is also used to treat leukemia either alone or in combination with other antitumor agents, or radiation therapy. In spite of its utility the drug shows ISSN: 22313788 (Print) ISSN: 23214376 (Online)