The storage of red cells or platelets in the liquid state results in changes in quality over time. These changes are collectively known as the storage lesion and are associated with decreased in vivo viability and functionality. Modification of the components of the liquid milieu could favorably influence these changes. L-carnitine is a naturally occurring compound, which is best known for its role in facilitating the transport of long chain fatty acids across the mitochondrial membrane. An additional role for this compound may also exist as a reservoir of acylcarnitines to replace oxidized fatty acids in membrane phospholipids. In experimental studies, L-carnitine has been shown to reduce hemolysis and to improve in vivo survival in nonleukoreduced red cells. This effect on hemolysis appears to be attenuated by prestorage leukoreduction, but the practical benefit of this effect to transfusion recipients is unclear. L-carnitine has also been shown to reduce glycolysis and maintain a better pH in liquid stored platelets. This effect could result in extended platelet storage to 7 or 10 days. Based on such results, a role for L-carnitine as an additive to improve platelet quality in extended platelet storage is suggested.

中文翻译：

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左旋肉碱及其在红细胞和血小板存储中的可能作用。

液态的红细胞或血小板的储存会导致质量随时间变化。这些改变统称为储存损伤，并与体内活力和功能降低有关。改变液体环境的成分可以有利地影响这些变化。左旋肉碱是一种天然化合物，因其在促进长链脂肪酸穿过线粒体膜运输中的作用而闻名。该化合物还可以作为酰基肉碱的储存库来替代膜磷脂中的氧化脂肪酸，从而发挥额外的作用。在实验研究中，已证明左旋肉碱可减少溶血并改善非白细胞减少的红细胞的体内存活率。储血前白细胞减少似乎减弱了对溶血的影响，但是这种作用对输血接受者的实际好处尚不清楚。还显示左旋肉碱可减少液体储存的血小板中的糖酵解并维持更好的pH值。这种作用可能导致血小板储存延长至7或10天。基于这样的结果，提出了L-肉碱作为添加剂在延长血小板储存中改善血小板质量的作用。