Antioxidant and antiradical properties of esculin, and its effect in a model of epirubicin-induced bone marrow toxicity.

Aim: To evaluate the effect of esculin, a plant coumarin glucoside, on free radicals and against epirubicin-induced toxicity on bone marrow cells.

Materials And Methods: Antioxidant activity was assessed by a luminol-dependent chemiluminescence method or NBT test in a xanthine-xanthine oxidase system, and two iron-dependent lipid peroxidation systems. In vivo experiments were carried out in epirubicin-treated mice, alone or in a combination with esculin.