Erythrocyte membrane stabilization by indomethacin
Indian Journal of Pharmacology 1993; 25: 173
LETTER TO THE EDITOR ERYTHROCYTE MEMBRANE STABILIZATION BY INDOMETHACIN
(Accepted for publication: April 06, 1993)
The erythrocyte osmotic fragility tests has been used
Figure 1. Osmotic fragility profile of erythrocytes. Each point is
as a measure of red cell tensile strength and is
the mean of at least four experiments.
related to cellular deformability which is a significantaspect of red cell function.’ Indomethacin, a non-
steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, was found to in-duce slight membrane changes in erythrocytes.²We studied the effect of indomethacin on erythrocyte
osmotic fragility to ascertain its membrane stabilizing effect.
Young albino rats (Charles foster) weighing 200-
2509 were maintained on commercial rat diet (Lip-
ton Co., India) and water, They were divided intotwo groups. Animals in group I served as control
and group II were administered indomethacin 0.4166mg/kg, p.o., bd x 5 days. After 5 days of drug treat-
ment blood was collected in heparin (10 IU/ml) from
the caudal vein. The osmotic fragility determinations
were done by the method of Dacie and Lewis.³ The
NaCl concentration of 50% hemolysis was taken
as a measure of mean erythrocyte fragility (MEF).
membranes and organelles, any effect of a drug on
In control rats, the osmotic fragility (O.F.) profile is
the osmotic hemolysis can be interpreted as an
almost a sigmoidal curve whereas in indomethacin
effect on the cell membrane. The stabilizing effect
treated animals the O.F. profile is shifted to the left
of indomethacin on erythrocyte membrane may be
which is due to decreased osmotic fragility showing
membrane stabilization (Figure 1). The MEF is sig-
shown to cause phospholipids disruption, an impor-
nificantly (P < 0.01) decreased in indomethacin
tant component of red cell membranes and as-
treated rats. The MEF of control and indomethacin
sociated structural changes in the red cell membrane
treated rats are 0.740 ± 0.008 and 0.711 ± 0.002%
lndomethacin is one of the most potent inhibitorsof the prostaglandin forming cyclooxygenase which
IMTIAZ AHMAD* AND MOHAMMAD SUHAI L
reduces the production and tissue concentration of
to act on erythrocytes in such a way that it causes
* Present Address: Institute of Social Health Welfare Rural
been reported that ingestion of indomethacin in-
Development and Educational Society, ISWRDES (India),
duces slight membrane changes in erythrocytes.²
Since erythrocytes are free from intracellular
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spectroscopy. Throm Res 1985;40:779-92.
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Dacie JV, Lewis S.M. Practical hematology. Orient
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