The anti-sickling drug lawsone (2-OH-1,4-naphthoquinone) protects sickled cells against membrane damage.
The ability of an anti-sickling drug lawsone, 2-OH-1,4-naphthoquinone, and two related compounds to inhibit the haematoporphyrin-sensitised photohaemolysis of normal and sickle cell erythrocytes has been investigated. The compounds appear to protect the erythrocyte membranes by reaction with transient oxidative species. Differential effects between normal and sickle cells are shown and these are attributed to the different membrane composition of irreversibly sickled erythrocytes. This report describes a possible basis for the decreased formation of irreversibly sickled cells in the presence of lawsone.
D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000187:drug effects*; D006415:Hematoporphyrins / Q000494:pharmacology; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D009285:Naphthoquinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010777:Photochemistry
D006415:Hematoporphyrins; D009285:Naphthoquinones; C040756:1,2-naphthoquinone; C035342:1,4-naphthoquinone; C005090:lawsone