Natural antioxidants improve red blood cell "survival" in non-leukoreduced blood samples.

BACKGROUND Blood collected in an anticoagulant can be kept refrigerated in an unmodified state within 5 - 6 weeks. Oxidative damage is considered to be a one of the major factors contributing to the development of storage lesions. Lipid and membrane proteins oxidation results in changes in cation gradients that affect the cell survival. AIM In the present study we used the natural antioxidants and ion channels blockers (L-carnosine, spermine, phloretin and their mixtures) to prolong "survival" of red blood cells (RBCs), measured as the lack of PS exposure and cell hemolysis, in the Alsever's preservative solution upon hypothermic storage. RESULTS We show that the mixture of carnosine (20 mM), spermine (20 µM) and phloretin (100 µM) effectively blunted phosphatidylserine (PS) exposure, Ca(2+) accumulation and RBCs hemolysis in non-leukoreduced low (∼ 2%) hematocrit samples after 36 days of storage as well as after 1 day of post-storage incubation of the stored cells in physiological saline solution. In addition, a slight but significant decrease in PS exposure was observed in non-leukoreduced high (∼ 20%) hematocrit samples after 36 days of storage with the mixture of substances. CONCLUSION We conclude that the use of the mixture of natural antioxidants (carnosine, spermine, and phloretin) as an additive to blood preservative solution provides better RBCs storage and "survival".