A ferriprotoporphyrin IX‐chloroquine complex promotes membrane phospholipid peroxidation A possible mechanism for antimalarial action

Abstract The effect of a ferriprotoporphyrin IX -chloroquine complex on phospholipid membranes was investigated on the basis of iron-induced lipid peroxidation using microsomal phospholipid liposomes. The ferriprotoporphyrin IX -chloroquine complex remarkably promoted peroxidative cleavage of unsaturated phospholipids in liposomes, compared with ferriprotoporphyrin IX alone. Neither the combination of protoporphyrin IX with chloroquine nor the combination of Fe 3+ -ADP with chloroquine promoted lipid peroxidation. DL-α-Tocopherol completely inhibited lipid peroxidation induced by the ferriprotoporphyrin IX -chloroquine complex.