Antioxidative activity of some phenoxy and organophosphorous compounds.

Experiments were performed in order to check whether biological activity of some organophosphorous compounds widely applied as herbicides: 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (1) and its sodium salt (2), N-phosphonomethylglycine acid (3) and its sodium salt (4), diethyl 1-butylamino-1-cyclohexanephosphonate (5) and diethyl 9-butylamino-9-fluorenephosphonate (6) followed from their oxidative activity. The compounds studied differed in their polarity and hydrophobicity. On the contrary, it was found that all herbicides protected erythrocyte membranes against partial peroxidation induced by UV irradiation. The effect was somewhat differentiated and followed the sequence: 5 >1 >2 >6 >3 >4. The observed differences between the antioxidative activities of the compounds are probably related to differences in their ability to incorporate into the lipid phase of the erythrocyte membrane. Once incorporated, they change fluidity of the membranes. The extent of the changes was determined in fluorescence measurements. Polarization and anisotropy coefficients of erythrocyte membranes modified by micromolar concentrations of herbicides at different temperatures were measured for that purpose. Generally, they followed the sequence found for antioxidative activity of the herbicides studied, which confirms the assumption of close correlation between the depth of incorporation of a herbicide into the erythrocyte membrane and its protective efficiency.