Lipid Peroxidation (MDA) Assay Kit (Colorimetric/Fluorometric) (ab118970) provides a convenient tool for sensitive detection of malondialdehyde (MDA).
- Complete MDA assay kit including standard curve for quantitation
- Cited in over 500 publications
- Individual kit components also available for purchase with a minimum order of 20 units. Contact us to discuss your needs.
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Lipid Peroxidation (MDA) Assay Kit (Colorimetric/Fluorometric) (ab118970) provides a convenient tool for sensitive detection of malondialdehyde (MDA).
- Complete MDA assay kit including standard curve for quantitation
- Cited in over 500 publications
- Individual kit components also available for purchase with a minimum order of 20 units. Contact us to discuss your needs.
Lipid Peroxidation (MDA) Assay Kit (Colorimetric/Fluorometric) (ab118970) provides a convenient tool for sensitive detection of malondialdehyde (MDA).
How the assay works
In the lipid peroxidation assay protocol, the MDA in the sample reacts with thiobarbituric acid (TBA) to generate a MDA-TBA adduct. The MDA-TBA adduct can be easily quantified colorimetrically (OD = 532 nm) or fluorometrically (Ex/Em = 532/553 nm). This assay detects MDA levels as low as 1 nmol/well colorimetrically and 0.1 nmol/well fluorometrically.
Lipid peroxidation assay protocol summary
For higher sensitivity, precipitate with n-butanol, centrifuge, dry and resuspend pellet before analysis.
Related MDA assay products
For an alternative MDA assay, without the heating steps required in the TBARS assay, try MDA assay Lipid Peroxidation (MDA) Assay Kit (Colorimetric) ab233471.
Getting the best performance from ab118970
Technical Note: MDA is unlikely to be detectable in healthy urine but may be elevated in the presence of infection or disease of the urinary tract.
How other researchers are using Lipid Peroxidation Assay Kit ab118970
The MDA/TBARs assay kit has been used in publications in a variety of sample types, including:
References: 1 - Shen J et al. 2018, 2 - Wang Q et al. 2019, 3 - Luo M et al. 2018, 4 - Mustafa AG et al. 2018, 5 - Murphy K et al. 2018, 6 - Guan F et al. 2019, 7 - Costa CRC et al. 2018, 8 - Eleftheriadis T et al. 2019, 9 - Malekiyan et al. 2019, 10 - Zhou Z et al. 2018, 11 - Li L et al. 2018, 12 - Lee SE and Kang KS 2019
Related and recommended products
Also see the popular 4-HNE Assay Kit Lipid Peroxidation (4-HNE) Assay Kit ab238538 as an alternative marker of lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress.
Iron Assay Kit Iron Assay Kit (Colorimetric) ab83366 is often used in combination with Lipid Peroxidation (MDA) Assay Kit ab118970 and GSH/ GSSG Assay Kit GSH+GSSG / GSH Assay Kit (Colorimetric) ab239709 in the study of ferroptosis.
Background information
Lipid peroxidation refers to the oxidative degradation of lipids. In this process free radicals take electrons from the lipids (generally in cell membranes), resulting in cell damage. Quantification of lipid peroxidation is essential to assess oxidative stress. Lipid peroxidation forms reactive aldehydes such as malondialdehyde (MDA) and 4-hydroxynonenal (4- HNE) as natural bi-products. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) are often used as markers of lipid peroxidation, and to assay for oxidative damage / oxidative stress.
The MDA assay is also refered to as a TBARS assay. The TBARS assay (thiobarbituric acid reactive substance assay) is used to measure lipid peroxidation in cell and tissue extracts, and biological fluids. The TBARS assay detects the level of MDA (malondialdehyde), the major lipid oxidation product, and also some minor related compounds. It is often considered a good index of the level of oxidative stress in a biological sample.
Other notes
This product is manufactured by BioVision, an Abcam company and was previously called K739 Lipid Peroxidation (MDA) Colorimetric/Fluorometric Assay Kit. K739-100 is the same size as the 100 test size of ab118970.
The Safety Datasheet for this product has been updated for certain countries. Please check the current version in the Support and downloads section.
Lipid peroxidation is a biochemical process that involves the oxidative degradation of lipids which are essential components of cellular membranes. It is often referred to by scientists as lipid peroxidation or simply peroxidation. This process mainly occurs in polyunsaturated fatty acids and plays a significant role in cell membrane damage. Lipid peroxidation leads to the formation of reactive aldehydes including malondialdehyde (MDA) which serve as an important marker for oxidative stress detectable by mda assay kits. In tissues lipid peroxidation occurs prominently in cells with high oxidative metabolism such as the liver brain and muscle tissues.
This process results in structural and functional impairment of cell membranes potentially affecting cellular functions. Lipid peroxidation does not operate as part of a larger complex but generates secondary products such as MDA which can form adducts with proteins and DNA thereby disrupting cellular integrity. Scientists frequently measure these products using specialized tools like the malondialdehyde test and lipid peroxidation assay as these provide insights into the extent of oxidative damage within biological samples such as blood tissues and organs.
Lipid peroxidation is critically involved in the oxidative stress response and inflammation pathways. The oxidative stress response pathway highlights the imbalance between antioxidants and reactive oxygen species (ROS) leading to damage. Antioxidant proteins such as glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase can counteract peroxidation. The inflammation pathway connects lipid peroxidation to cellular mechanisms that trigger inflammatory signals involving proteins like cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase.
Lipid peroxidation significantly contributes to the pathophysiology of conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and atherosclerosis. In Alzheimer's oxidative stress and resulting lipid peroxidation damage neural cells linking the process to proteins such as amyloid-beta. In atherosclerosis the peroxidation of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) in vascular walls initiates plaque formation and connects to proteins like apolipoprotein B. Researchers utilize MDA test kits to assess the extent of lipid peroxidation offering insights into disease progression and potential therapeutic targets.
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Lipid Peroxidation Assay performed on mouse sciatic nerve samples. Hichor M et al. used the TBARS assay / MDA assay ab118970 to study the role of LXRs in the regulation of oxidative stress in peripheral nerves.They identified that in sciatic nerves in LXR knockout mice (LXRdKO), the MDA concentration was significantly increased, and that this was corrected by the treatment of mice with the anti-oxidant ROS scavenger N-acetylcysteine (NAC).
Lipid Peroxidation measured with MDA assay in Fabry patients and healthy controls.
Ravarotto V et al. used Lipid Peroxidation Assay Kit ab118970 to assess oxidative stress in Fabry disease. They identified that MDA levels are higher in Fabry patients, indicating higher levels of oxidative stress.
The MDA concentration was measured in plasma from Fabry patients compared to healthy control patients. Data are shown ±SEM. *: p = 0.01.
Measurement of MDA in human plasma (20 μl) and rat liver lysate (10 mg).
Wang et al used Lipid Peroxidation (MDA) Assay Kit ab118970 to investigate the role of non-coding RNA LINC01133 in ferroptosis.
The MDA level of PANC-1 treated with 5 µM erastin for 24 h after LINC01133 knockdown by siRNA. EV means the empty plasmid. OE implies LINC01133 knockdown. Fer-1 means ferrostatin treatment. One-way ANOVA and two-way ANOVA were used for the statistical analysis. NS means p > 0.05, *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, ****p < 0.0001. All experiments were repeated three times independently.
Malondialdehyde (MDA) assay
A lipid peroxidation test kit (ab118970) bought from Abcam was used to determine the relative MDA concentration in cell lysates according to the manufacturer’s instructions. DMSO, erastin, and cystine depletion were used to treat cells seeded on a 10 cm plate (1 × 107 cells per plate) for 24 h. Then these cells were homogenized on ice in 300 μL MDA lysis buffer with 3 μL BHT (100×), then centrifuged (13,000 g, 10 min) to remove insoluble material. Transfer 200 μL of the supernatant from each homogenized sample to a microcentrifuge tube. Then fill each vial with 600 μL of thiobarbituric acid (TBA) solution. Then the mixtures were incubated for 60 min at 95 °C. An MDA–TBA adduct was formed when MDA in the sample interacted with TBA. In an ice bath, chill samples to room temperature for 10 min. For analysis, pipette 200 μL from each reaction mixture into a 96-well plate. Using a microplate reader (Bio-Rad), determine the absorbance at 532 nm.
Pesti-Asboth et al used Lipid Peroxidation (MDA) Assay Kit ab118970, Vitamin C Assay Kit Ascorbic Acid Assay Kit (Biological Samples) ab65656, Glutathione Peroxidase Assay Kit Glutathione Peroxidase Assay Kit (Colorimetric) ab102530, Glutathione Reductase Assay Kit Glutathione Reductase (GR) Assay Kit ab83461, and Superoxide Dismutase Assay Kit Superoxide Dismutase Activity Assay Kit (Colorimetric) ab65354 to investigate changes in redox in the plasma of fast growing broiler chickens.
Changes in the redox parameters in blood plasma at Days 3, 8, 21, 32, and 42. Significant differences were determined by comparing the data from each time point with the data from the first time point. Data are expressed as the means ±8 SEMs; *P<0.05, ** p<0.005, *** p<0.001.
Lipid peroxidation was determined using a commercially available assay kit (ab118970, Abcam, Cambridge, United Kingdom). The measurements were based on the reaction between MDA and thiobarbituric acid (TBA). All reagents and standard solutions were prepared according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Plasma samples (20 μl) were mixed with 500 μL of 42 mM H2SO4, 125 μL of phosphotungstic acid solution was added, and each sample was mixed by vortexing and incubated at room temperature for 5 minutes. After incubation, we centrifuged the samples at 13000 × g for 3 minutes. The pellet was collected and resuspended in 100 μL of distilled water on ice with 2 μL of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) (100-fold dilution). The final volume was adjusted to 200 μL with distilled water. After sample preparation, the assay was performed. The MDA-TBA adduct was generated in each sample and standard solution. The TBA reagents (600 μl) were added to the samples and standards for incubation at 95°C for 60 minutes. The reaction mixes were cooled in an ice bath for 10 minutes after incubation. The samples and standards were placed in duplicate in a 96-well microplate for analysis. The absorbance of the MDA-TBA adduct was measured at 532 nm, and the calculated concentrations are expressed in nmol/ml.
To determine the vitamin C concentration, a plasma-specific assay kit was used (Ascorbic Acid Assay Kit (Biological Samples) ab65656, Abcam, Cambridge, United Kingdom) [34–36]. The measurements were performed according to the protocol in the manual with some modifications. The kit’s supernatant assay buffer was set to pH 7.0 with NaOH (10 M). The kit provides a sensitive method for vitamin C measurement. Plasma vitamin C reduces Fe3+ to Fe2+, which shows strong absorbance that can be monitored between 545–600 nm. The reagent and standard were prepared as described in the protocol. Fifty microliters of each plasma sample, run in duplicate, was diluted two fold for measurement. The assay procedure was followed as described in the manual. The absorbance of each sample was measured at 593 nm, and the concentrations were calculated as recommended and are expressed in nmol/ml.
The activity of Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) was measured with a commercially available kit (Glutathione Peroxidase Assay Kit (Colorimetric) ab102530, Abcam, Cambridge, United Kingdom). In the assay, GSSG produced after GPx oxidizes GSH during H2O2 reduction. GSSG is reduced back to GSH by GR with the aid of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH). The reduction of NADPH is proportional to GPx activity and can be measured colorimetrically at 340 nm. The kit reagents were dissolved as described in the manual. A standard curve was prepared as described in the kit. The activity of GPx is expressed as mU/ml.
The activity of Glutathione reductase (GR) in plasma was determined using a specific assay kit (Glutathione Reductase (GR) Assay Kit ab83461, Abcam, Cambridge, United Kingdom). In this assay, GSH is formed from GSSG by GR; then, GSH reacts with DTNB, and a 2-nitro-5-thiobenzoate anion (TNB2-) is generated. The change in absorbance was measured at 405 nm. The kit reagents were dissolved as described in the “components and storage” section. The protocol recommends pretreating the samples. First, 5 μL of 3% H2O2 was added to 100 μL of each sample. The samples were incubated at 25°C for 5 min. Then, 5 μL of catalase was added to each sample, and we incubated the samples again at 25°C for another 5 min. After the pretreatment procedure, 50 μL of each pretreated sample was added to the sample wells. The standard curve was prepared as described in the manual, and 50 μL of diluted standard solution was added to each well. GR activity is expressed in nmol/min/mL = mU/ml.
The superoxide dismutase(SOD)inhibition rate was measured with a specific assay kit (Superoxide Dismutase Activity Assay Kit (Colorimetric) ab65354, Abcam, Cambridge, United Kingdom). In this assay, xanthine oxidase produced superoxide anions, and the conversion of superoxide anions into hydrogen peroxide was catalyzed by SOD. Superoxide anions and the water-soluble tetrazolium salt WST-1 can react to produce a water-soluble formazan dye, the absorbance of which was detected at 450 nm. The reagents were prepared as described in the kit. First, 20 μL of Blank 1, Blank 2, Blank 3 or sample was added to a 96-well plate in duplicate. Then, WST-1 solution (200 μl) was added to each blank and sample. Twenty microliters of dilution buffer were added to the Blank 2 and Blank 3 solutions. Enzyme working solution (20 μl) was added to each sample and Blank. Then, the plate was incubated at 37°C for 20 minutes. The absorbance (A) was then measured at 450 nm.
Cao et al. used Iron Assay kit Iron Assay Kit (Colorimetric) ab83366, Lipid Peroxidation (MDA) Assay Kit ab118970 and GSH Assay kit GSH Assay Kit (Colorimetric) ab239727 to investigate the effect and mechanism of exosomal miR-26a derived from bone marrow MSCs (BMSCs) on liver fibrosis.
Overexpression of BMSC-derived exosomal miR-26a accelerated ferroptosis in HSCs. Measurement of Fe2+, MDA, and GSH of LX2 cells treated with miR-26a mimic-Exo or NC mimic-Exo.
The level of Fe2+, malonaldehyde (MDA), and glutathione (GSH) was analyzed by using Iron Assay kit (Cat#: Iron Assay Kit (Colorimetric) ab83366, Abcam, Cambridge, UK), Lipid Peroxidation (MDA) Assay kit (Cat#: ab118970, Abcam), and GSH Assay kit (Cat#: GSH Assay Kit (Colorimetric) ab239727, Abcam) based on the operating manual.
Tran et al used Lipid Peroxidation (MDA) Assay Kit ab118970 and Superoxide Dismutase Assay Kit Superoxide Dismutase Activity Assay Kit (Colorimetric) ab65354 to investigate the effects of Gb and Ocs extracts on antioxidant enzyme activity in the brain parenchyma of the PTZ-induced epilepsy mouse model.
The quantitative measurement of antioxidant enzymes and MDA from whole-brain tissue lysates at D31 in each group treated with various combinations of drugs. Mean (n = 3) ± SD. **P ≤ 0.01 and ***P ≤ 0.001 vs. control group; #P ≤ 0.05, ##P ≤ 0.01, and ###P ≤ 0.001 vs. the PTZ group.
Lipid peroxidation (MDA) assay kits (#ab118970) were purchased from Abcam (Cambridge, UK). The SOD Activity Assay Kit (#K335-100) was purchased from BioVision, Inc. (Waltham, MA, USA) [Biovision assay kits are now manufactured by Abcam].
Niu et al used Lipid Peroxidation (MDA) Assay Kit ab118970, GSH/ GSSG Assay Kit GSH/GSSG Ratio Detection Assay Kit (Fluorometric - Green) ab138881, and Glutathione Peroxidase Assay Kit Anti-Glutathione Peroxidase 4 antibody [EPNCIR144] ab125066 to investigate the use of porous Se@SiO2 nanospheres to achieve controlled release of selenium, a scavenger of intracellular free radicals, in mouse eyes.
Male diabetic db/db and control db/m mice were injected in the eyes with porous Se@SiO2 nanospheres, and porous SiO2 nanospheres (NPs) without Se.
Porous Se@SiO2 nanospheres inhibit diabetes-induced retinal lipid peroxidation and inflammation. Levels of MDA in retinal homogenates (n = 6). Expression levels of GPX4 in retinas were measured using western blotting; β‐actin was used as a loading control (left panel). Band densities were assessed using the ImageJ software, and GPX4 expression levels are represented as their ratios to β‐actin (right panel) (n = 3). Levels of GSH, GSSG, and the ratio of GSH to GSSG in retinal homogenates (n = 6). Data are represented as the mean ± SD. **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001; ns, nonsignificant.
Retinal samples were harvested, washed, and lysed according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Protein concentrations were determined using a bicinchoninic acid kit. MDA and glutathione concentrations were determined using a lipid peroxidation MDA assay kit, reduced glutathione (GSH) / oxidized glutathione (GSSG) Ratio Detection Assay kit (ab118970, GSH/GSSG Ratio Detection Assay Kit (Fluorometric - Green) ab138881; Abcam, MA, USA), and a microplate reader. The relative concentrations of MDA and glutathione were calculated by normalizing the measured concentrations to that of the total protein.
Bejoy et al used Lipid Peroxidation (MDA) Assay Kit ab118970 and SOD Assay Kit Superoxide Dismutase Activity Assay Kit (Colorimetric) ab65354 to investigate the impact of cell-free hemoglobin (CFH) on ROS in transwell kidney organoids.
Co-staining for ROS (red), DAPI to mark nuclei (blue) and the proximal tubule marker LTL (green) in human kidney organoids (n=3 organoids from three independent experiments). Scale bars: 50 µm. Malondialdehyde (MDA) assay in untreated organoids versus kidney organoids receiving the CFH treatment. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) assay for the control and CFH-treated organoid groups (n=3). Bars show median values. ns, not significant; *P<0.05; **P<0.01; ****P≤0.0001 (unpaired two tailed t-test.
Free radicals present in cell culture can increase peroxidation of lipids present on cell membranes, resulting in cell damage. Lipid peroxidation causes formation of reactive aldehydes including MDA, which can be used to assess oxidative stress. The MDA assay was carried out using a commercially available kit (ab118970, Abcam) following the manufacturer's instructions. Briefly, 200 µl of cell culture supernatant was aliquoted for the assay. MDA standards were also prepared. Then 600 µl of the thiobarbituric acid reagent was added both to the samples and to the MDA standards and incubated at 95°C for 60 min. Tubes were cooled to room temperature using an ice bath for 10 min, 200 µl of the cooled solution was added to one well of 96-well plates (three biological replicates), and the absorbance was immediately measured on a microplate reader to calculate the OD at 532 nm. The standard curve was plotted, and the MDA concentrations of the samples were calculated. Increased MDA concentration is associated with increased oxidative stress.
The SOD assay was carried out using the commercially available SOD kit (Abcam, Waltham, MA, USA) following the manufacturer's instructions. The cell culture medium was collected and 20 µl of each sample was used for analysis. Samples were prepared with and without addition of SOD enzyme solution for the blank correction. To the 20 µl sample, 200 µl of the WST working solution was added. The assay uses a tetrazolium salt WST-1, which produces a water-soluble formazan dye upon reduction with superoxide anion. The WST-1 reduction is linearly related to SOD-mediated inhibition activity of xanthine oxidase. SOD catalyzes the dismutation of the superoxide anion into hydrogen peroxide and molecular oxygen, resulting in decrease of WST-1 reduction. The inhibition activity of SOD was measured by colorimetric measurement of OD at 450 nm.
MDA assay standard curve.
Typical MDA standard calibration curve using colorimetric reading.
Chen et al used Lipid Peroxidation (MDA) Assay Kit ab118970, 3-Nitrotyrosine Kit 3-Nitrotyrosine ELISA Kit ab116691, and 8-OHdG ELISA kit 8-hydroxy 2 deoxyguanosine ELISA Kit ab201734 to investigate oxidative stress in spinal cord injury in mice.
FGF5 overexpression reduces inflammation and oxidative stress in mice treated with surgery to create spinal cord injury. Yellow = control. Green = FGF5 overexpression. Mice were overexpressed with FGF5 using lentiviral vectors, and then were exposed to SCI or sham surgery 2 weeks post‐injection. The levels of MDA, 3‐NT and 8‐OHdG. n = 6 for each groups. Data are expressed as the mean ± standard deviation and p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. *p < 0.05.
Levels in the spinal cord of malondialdehyde (MDA), 3‐nitrotyrosine (3‐NT) and 8‐hydroxy 2 deoxyguanosine (8‐OHdG) were detected using commercial kits (#ab118970 for MDA, #3-Nitrotyrosine ELISA Kit ab116691 for 3‐NT, #8-hydroxy 2 deoxyguanosine ELISA Kit ab201734 for 8‐OHdG; Abcam) to evaluate oxidative damage of lipids, proteins and nucleic acids according to the manufacturer's instructions.
MDA assay standard curve.
Typical MDA standard calibration curve using fluorometric reading.
Diagram showing the principles of the Lipid Peroxidation MDA assay method.
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