Red-cell catalase and the production of methaemoglobin, Heinz bodies and changes in osmotic fragility due to drugs.

Abstract

Heinz bodies were produced in vitroin normal human red cells by incubation with ascorbic acid, menadione, sodium azide, primaquine diphosphate, acetyl phenylhydrazine, potassium chlorate, sodium nitrite and <i>p</i>-phenetidine. All compounds causing Heinz body formation also produced methaemoglobin, and most led to reduction in catalase activity; sodium nitrite and <i>p</i>-phenetidine caused no inhibition of catalase. Catalase inhibition was not found with any of the drugs studied which did not produce Heinz bodies. Catalase inhibition appeared to be partly responsible for Heinz body formation by ascorbic acid and menadione, but not for the effects of the other drugs studied. The results of this study support the view that glutathione peroxidase is the most important factor in protecting haemoglobin from the action of oxidant drugs