Thiobarbituric Acid-Reactive Substances Assay to Assess Oxidative Stress in Human Serum

Label the glass tubes for the samples to be analyzed, then, add 100 microliters of the prepared sample to each tube. Add 200 microliters of 8.1% SDS to each sample, and gently swirl the glass tube in a circular motion to mix.

Add 1.5 milliliters of 3.5 molar sodium acetate buffer to each sample. Then, add 1.5 milliliters of aqueous 0.8% thiobarbituric acid solution. Bring the final volume in each tube to 4 milliliters by adding 700 microliters of deionized water. Tightly cap the glass tubes, and incubate them in a heating block set to 95 degrees Celsius for 1 hour. Cover the tubes with aluminum foil to prevent condensation. Then, remove the tubes from the block and incubate them on ice for 30 minutes.

After the incubation, centrifuge the samples and standards at 1,500 x g for 10 minutes at 4 degrees Celsius. Transfer 150 microliters of supernatant from each tube to a well in a 96-well plate, removing any air bubbles with a pipette tip.

Measure the absorbance of the samples at 532 nanometers. Then, subtract the average absorbance reading of the blank samples from all other absorbance readings.

Create a standard curve and use it to calculate unknown sample concentrations.