Abstract
NADPH consumption and esr spectroscopy have been used to study the rate of formation and signal intensity of free radicals produced by various anthracycline anti-tumour drugs in rat liver microsomal extract. The drugs investigated were Adriamycin, 4′Deoxyadriamycin, Daunorubicin, 4 Demethoxydaun-orubicin and Carminomycin. Pulse radiolysis was also used to determine the ease of reduction of each of the analogues to its semiquinone radical and some kinetic properties of the radicals produced. It is believed that the Occurrence of reactions other than dismutation could be responsible for the shortened lifetimes of the semiquinone radicals observed in biological systems.