Effect of magnesium sulfate on the osmotic fragility and lipid peroxidation of intact red blood cells from pregnant women with severe preeclampsia.

Objective: To evaluate the osmotic fragility and level of lipid peroxidation of red blood cells from pregnant women with severe preeclampsia, treated or not with MgSO(4).

Methods: Osmotic fragility and lipid peroxidation of red blood cells was evaluated in 11 normotensive pregnant women and eleven pregnant women with severe preeclampsia.

Results: MgSO(4) therapy, either in vivo or in vitro, leads to a reduction of the osmotic fragility and the level of lipid peroxidation of red blood cells from pregnant women with severe preeclampsia.

Conclusions: Interaction of MgSO(4) with free radicals, by avoiding an excessive lipid peroxidation of the red blood cell membrane, would protect the membrane structure, avoiding in this way the increase in osmotic fragility.