Lipid peroxidation: its mechanism, measurement, and significance

An increased concentration of end products of lipid peroxidation is the evidence most frequently quoted for the involvement of free radicals in human disease. However, it is likely that increased oxidative damage occurs in most, if not all, human diseases and plays a significant pathological role in only some of them. For example, peroxidation appears to be important in atherosclerosis and in worsening the initial tissue injury caused by ischemic or traumatic brain damage. Oxidative stress can damage many biological molecules; indeed, proteins and DNA are often more significant targets of injury than are lipids, and lipid peroxidation often occurs late in the injury process. Many assays are available to measure lipid peroxidation, but no single assay is an accurate measure of the whole process. Application of simple diene-conjugate and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) assays to human tissues and body fluids can produce artifacts. An HPLC-based TBA test can eliminate some of these artifacts.