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The formation and reactivity of excited states and free radicals from primaquine, a drug used in the treatment of malaria, was studied in order to evaluate the primary photochemical reaction mechanisms. The excited primaquine triplet was not detected, but is likely to be formed with a short lifetime (50 ns) and with a triplet energy250 kJ/mol as the drug is an efficient quencher of the fenbufen triplet and the biphenyl triplet, and forms (1)O(2) by laser flash photolysis ((PQ)Phi(Delta)=0.025). Primaquine (PQ) exists as the monocation (PQH(+)) in aqueous solution at physiological pH. PQH(+) photoionises by a biphotonic process and also forms the monoprotonated cation radical (PQH(2+)*) by one electron oxidation by HO* (k(q)=6.6 x 10(9) M(-1) s(-1)) and Br*(2)(-) (k(q)=4.7 x 10(9) M(-1) s(-1)) at physiological pH, detected as a long-lived transient decaying essentially by a second order process (k(2)=7.4 x 10(8) M(-1) s(-1)). PQH(2+)* is scavenged by O(2), although at a limited rate (k(q)=1.0 x 10(6) M(-1) s(-1)). The reduction potential (E degrees) of PQH(2+)*/PQH(+) is+1015 mV, as measured versus tryptophan (TRP*/TRPH). Primaquine also forms PQH(2+)* at pH 2.4, by one electron oxidation by Br*(2)(-) and proton loss (k(q)=2.7 x 10(9) M(-1) s(-1)). The non-protonated cation radical (PQ(+)*) is formed during one electron oxidation with Br*(2)(-) at alkaline conditions (k(q)=4.2 x 10(9) M(-1) s(-1) at pH 10.8). The estimated pK(a)-value of PQH(2+)*/PQ(+)* is pK(a) approximately 7-8. Primaquine is not a scavenger of O*(2)(-) at physiological pH. Thus self-sensitization by O*(2)(-) is eliminated as a degradation pathway in the photochemical reactions. Impurities in the raw material and photochemical degradation products initiate photosensitized degradation of primaquine in deuterium oxide, prevented by addition of the (1)O(2) quencher sodium azide. Photosensitized degradation by formation of (1)O(2) is thus important for the initial photochemical decomposition of primaquine, which also proceeds by free radical reactions. Formation of PQH(2+)* is expected to play an essential part in the photochemical degradation process in a neutral, aqueous medium.

Solutions of glucose are used as diluents for drugs in various drug infusions. When sterilized by heat small amounts of the substance 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde (5-HMF) is produced from glucose. At a hospital ward such infusions may be exposed to irradiation; including UV-light. The photoreactivity of the furaldehyde is investigated. It is shown to photodestabilize the catecholamine isoprenaline. It is shown to be a producer, but also a consumer, of singlet oxygen. The excited triplet, cation and anion radical have been produced by pulse radiolysis and flash photolysis and their absorbance characteristics have been determined. The triplet absorption spectrum showed absorption bands at 320 and 430 nm with molar absorption coefficients of 4700 and 2600 M-1 cm-1, respectively. The anion radical showed absorption bands at 330 and 420 nm with molar absorption coefficients of 2000 and 300 M-1 cm-1, respectively. The cation radical had an absorption band at 320 nm with a molar absorption coefficient of 5000 M-1 cm-1. The quantum yield for the production of singlet oxygen, sensitized by the 5-HMF triplet, was determined to be 0.6, whilst the quantum yield for the triplet formation was 1.0. Aqueous solutions of 5-HMF were found to photoionize to yield the hydrated electron and the cation radical of 5-HMF in a biphotonic process. The influences of pH, buffer and glucose on the formation of transients were evaluated. The reactions between 5-HMF and the solvated electron, the hydroxyl radical and the superoxide were also studied.

Pulse radiolysis was used to generate the radical cations of beta-carotene and two xanthophylls, zeaxanthin and lutein, in unilamellar vesicles of dipalmitoylphosphatidyl choline. The rate constants for the reaction (repair) of these carotenoid radical cations with the water-soluble vitamin C were found to be similar (approximately 1x10(7) M(-1) s(-1)) for beta-carotene and zeaxanthin and somewhat lower (approximately 0.5x10(7) M(-1) s(-1)) for lutein. The results are discussed in terms of the microenvironment of the carotenoids and suggest that for beta-carotene, a hydrocarbon carotenoid, the radical cation is able to interact with a water-soluble species even though the parent hydrocarbon carotenoid is probably entirely in the non-polar region of the liposome.

Carotenoids are abundant in many fruits and vegetables and they play diverse roles in photobiology, photochemistry and medicine. This review concerns the reactivity of carotenoids with singlet oxygen and the interaction of carotenoids with a range of free radicals. Mechanisms associated with the anti- and pro-oxidant behaviour of carotenoids are discussed including carotenoid interactions with other anti-oxidants.