Is the autoxidation of catecholamines involved in ischemia-reperfusion injury? NO

ABSTRACT

(This paper has been widely misquoted.  The answer to the question above is "most likely not!)

The autoxidation of catecholamines has been proposed to be a source of oxygen radicals in ischemia-reperfusion injury. However, this autoxidation per se is extremely slow at physiological pH and therefore is unlikely to be a primary source of oxygen radicals in ischemia-reperfusion injury. On the  other hand, oxygen radicals from catecholamines are more likely to arise through catalyzed oxidations involving enzymatic systems and/or metal ions. It is these latter reactions that may be of interest with respect to damage associated with ischemia-reperfusion injury.