We tested the ability of N-6-furfuryladenine (kinetin) to protect against oxidative and glycoxidative protein damage generated in vitro by sugars and by an iron/ascorbate system. At 50 mu M, kinetin was more efficient (82% inhibition) than adenine (49% inhibition) to inhibit the bovine serum albumin (BSA)-pentosidine formation in slow and fast glycation/glycoxidation models. Kinetin also inhibited the formation of BSA-carbonyls after oxidation significantly more than adenine did. However both compounds inhibited the advanced glycation end product (AGE) formation to the same extent (59-68% inhibition). At 200 mu M, kinetin but not adenine, limited the aggregation of BSA during glycation. These data suggest that kinetin is a strong inhibitor of oxidative and glycoxidative protein-damage generated in vitro,