ICRF-187 (dexrazoxane) is currently in clinical trials as a cardioprotective agent for the prevention of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. ICRF-187 likely acts through its strongly metal ion-binding rings-opened hydrolysis product ADR-925 by removing iron from its complex with doxorubicin or by chelating free iron. The ability of NADPH-cytochrome-P450 reductase to promote hydroxyl radical formation by iron complexes of ADR-925 and EDTA was compared by EPR spin trapping. The iron-EDTA complex produced hydroxyl radicals at six times the rate that the iron-ADR-925 complex did. The aerobic oxidation of ferrous complexes of ADR-925, its tetraacid analog, EDTA and DTPA was followed spectropho-tometrically. The iron(II)-ADR-925 complex was aerobically oxidized 700 times slower than was the EDTA complex. It is concluded that even though ADR-925 does not completely eliminate iron-based hydroxyl radical production, it likely protects by preventing site-specific hydroxyl radical damage by the iron-doxorubicin complex.