Table I.

SEM erythrocyte shape classification

Storage day	Discocyte (%)	Reversibly* changed RBC (%) (echinocyte and stomatocyte shape)	Irreversibly* changed RBC (%) (sphero-echinocyte, spherostomatocyte, spherocyte, valocyte, and degenerated shapes)
0	77.3±2.9	18.4±4.6	4.3±3.1
28 Control	46.1±3.8	36.2±1.4	17.7±2.6
28 Vitamin C+NAC	51.8±1.3**	32.6±2.9**	15.5±1.8
42 Control	21.8±1.6	43.6±2.7	34.6±3.2
42 Vitamin C+NAC	24.2±2.1	46.3±1.9	29.5±3.6

^*Reversible and irreversible changes were classified based on previously reported criteria⁶,⁹

^**Statistically significant (p-value<0.05 ANOVA in comparison to untreated controls at the same storage time point).