UNSUITABILITY OF TBA TEST AS A LIPID-PEROXIDATION MARKER DUE TO PROSTAGLANDIN SYNTHESIS IN THE AGING KIDNEY

The Thiobarbituric Acid (TBA) test for malondialdehyde (MDA) determination is the most frequently used method in the assessment of lipid peroxidation and free radical damage. Among the advantages are its sensitivity and relatively simple procedure, but it lacks chemical specificity as reported by others. In this report, we attempt to show another situation in which the TBA test on lipid peroxidation may lead to spurious results because of MDA production by prostaglandin (PG) synthetic activity in the kidney. The present study concludes that it is necessary to use indomethacin or other PG inhibitors for the measurement of lipid peroxidation in the aging tissues with the TBA test. © 1990 American Aging Association, Inc.