The Antioxidant Action of Synthetic Oestrogens Involves Decreased Membrane Fluidity: Relevance to Their Potential Use as Anticancer and Cardioprotective Agents Compared to Tamoxifen?

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Abstract
The synthetic oestrogens diethylstilboestrol, hexoestrol and 17 α-ethynyloestradiol are known to be good antioxidants, and we now report that they decrease membrane fluidity, in ox-brain phospholipid liposomes. The order of effectiveness was diethylstilboestrol > hexoestrol > 17 α-ethynyloestradiol and a good positive correlation was demonstrated between decreased membrane fluidity and antioxidant ability (measured as inhibition of liposomal lipid peroxidation: correlation coefficient, r = 0.99). This ability of diethylstilboestrol, hexoestrol and 17 α-ethynyloestradiol to decrease membrane fluidity is suggested, therefore, to be the mechanism of their antioxidant action. The membrane-modulating antioxidant action of these synthetic oestrogens is compared to that of tamoxifen and their potential use as anticancer and cardioprotective agents is discussed.