Quinones have been reported to undergo nonenzymatic reaction with thiols to generate reactive oxygens. It is therefore possible that the nonenzymatic reaction of quinones with thiols in plasma could lead to potentJared cellular toxicity or disease. When 1 mM menadione was added in plasma under pH 11.2, 7.4 and 5.0, the increase in oxygen consumption rate was the order of pH 11.2 > pH 7.4 > pH 5.0. In addition, oxygen consumption rates under plasma anticoagulated with trisodium citrate solution (pH 7.85) was significantly higher than those with acid-citrate-dextrose solution (pH 6.87). SOD and catalase reduced the rate of oxygen consumption induced by menadione in plasma. Taken together, these results suggest that the menadione-induced increased oxygen consumption was due to nonenzymatic reaction of menadione with thiols in the plasma. The presence of plasma has an additive effect on the increased oxygen consumption rates induced by the menadione treatments on our model tissue, platelets, as compared between washed platelet (WP) and platelet rich plasma (PRP). Cytotoxicity, as determined by LDH release, are well correlated with the oxygen consumption rates observed in each system and strongly suggest that menadione-induced cytotoxicity can be increased with the presence of blood plasma.