Production of Oxygen Free Radicals and of Hemolysis by Cyclosporine

Abstract

HEMOLYSIS is one side effect of cyclosporine (CsA)1,2 the incidence of which has been reported to be approximately 10%.2 Hemolysis may indicate ischemic vascular damage associated with CsA nephrotoxicity,2 which is the most common and clinically important side effect of CsA.3 A report by Azuma et al1 suggests that CsA-induced hemolysis results from increased production of free radical species caused by CsA.Melatonin, which acts as an efficient free radical scavenger,4,5 may protect against CsA-induced hemolysis. To ascertain whether CsA directly stimulates the production of superoxide anions we mea- sured production of these moieties in purified mitochondria and in human erythrocytes (RBCs) incubated with CsA and melatonin.