Ways of Decreasing the Oxidative Stress Promoted by Organomercury Compounds

Abstract

The oxidative stress of an organism resulting in metabolism disorder is related to the peroxide oxidation of lipids (POL) and to changes in the structure of cell membranes [1]. Detailed studies of POL processes showed that a number of exogenous agents exist, for example, metal salts and organic radicals, which promote the formation of hydroperoxides or carbonyl compounds, which are products of their decomposition, and accumulation of these products in the cell [2]. In addition, assays carried out for the whole organism indicate that toxic organomercury compounds RHgX and R 2 Hg are accumulated in cell membranes due to their lipophilic properties and accelerate POL [3, 4]. However, scarcity of the available data on the mechanism of toxic action of RHgX and R 2 Hg at the molecular level do not allow one to propose a general concept for the choice of detoxifying agents. Currently, thio derivatives and complexones [5], for example, 2,3-dimercaptopropanol and calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate, are used most often as detoxifying agents against mercury poisoning. The action of these agents is based on the binding of Hg atoms to give Hg‐S or Hg‐O bonds; however, it does not imply the possibility of deactivation of the reactive C-centered organic radicals resulting from the homolytic cleavage of the Hg‐C bond, which inevitably accompanies the involvement of RHgX and R 2 Hg in biochemical redox and radical processes.