Traditional methods for the study/monitoring of lipid peroxidation are difficult if not impossible to interpret quantitatively. The few methods applicable to in vivo studies are especially inadequate in this regard. Use of pairs or sets of measurements on the same samples was shown to be more quantitatively interpretable than any single assay. New methods based on pre-loading with radio-labeled lipids are in development and offer some clear advantages in that early and late stages of lipid peroxidation can be studied by equivalent techniques. The mechanisms of lipid peroxidation can be studied by identifying the isomeric peroxidation products. A method for the quantitative determination of sterol hydroperoxide isomers has been developed and is being evaluated.
