Lipid peroxidation catalyzed by bleomycin (BLM)-metal complexes was studied in vitro using arachidonic acid as the substrate. Iron complexes of BLM caused extensive lipid peroxidation, but other metal complexes did not. The lipid peroxidation caused by the iron complexes was inhibited by antioxidants such as dl-α-tocopherol, ascorbic acid etc., but not by other scavengers of hydroxyl and superoxide radicals, and of singlet oxygen. Cyanide ion suppressed the lipid peroxidation caused by BLM-Fe(II), but did not suppress the peroxidation activity of BLM-Fe(III). The peroxidation activity of BLM-Fe(II) was lost instantly by pre-incubation of the complex at 37°C before mixing with arachidonic acid, but that of BLM-Fe(III) was not. These results indicate that the active form for the lipid peroxidation derived from BLM-Fe(II) differs from that of BLM-Fe(III).