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Tocopherols, lipid-soluble antioxidants play a crucial role in the antioxidant defense system in higher plants. The antioxidant function of α-tocopherol has been widely studied; however, experimental data on the formation of its oxidation products is missing. In this study, we attempt to provide spectroscopic evidence on the detection of oxidation products of α-tocopherol formed by its interaction with singlet oxygen and lipid peroxyl radical. Singlet oxygen was formed using photosensitizer rose bengal and thylakoid membranes isolated from Arabidopsis thaliana. Singlet oxygen reacts with polyunsaturated fatty acid forming lipid hydroperoxide which is oxidized by ferric iron to lipid peroxyl radical. The addition of singlet oxygen to double bond carbon on the chromanol head of α-tocopherol forms α-tocopherol hydroperoxide detected using fluorescent probe swallow-tailed perylene derivative. The decomposition of α-tocopherol hydroperoxide forms α-tocopherol quinone. The hydrogen abstraction from α-tocopherol by lipid peroxyl radical forms α-tocopheroxyl radical detected by electron paramagnetic resonance. Quantification of lipid and protein hydroperoxide from the wild type and tocopherol deficient (vte1) mutant Arabidopsis leaves using a colorimetric ferrous oxidation-xylenol orange assay reveals that α-tocopherol prevents formation of both lipid and protein hydroperoxides at high light. Identification of oxidation products of α-tocopherol might contribute to a better understanding of the protective role of α-tocopherol in the prevention of oxidative damage in higher plants at high light.

From an interfacial phenomena standpoint, gallic acid (GA), methyl gallate (MG), and their combination alone and together with lecithin (L) were evaluated for their inhibition against the formation of lipid hydroperoxides and carbonyl compounds in a stripped sunflower oil. Lecithin at a level (500 ppm) lower than its critical micelle concentration was able to protect the lipid system to some extent. GA (log P = -0.21), which was of higher capacity than MG (log P = - 0.14) in donating H/e - (IC 50 = 36.4 vs. 39.9 μM and FRAP value = 598 vs. 514 μmol/L, respectively), exerted an antioxidant activity significantly better than MG in the bulk phase oil. Due to the improved interfacial performance, the inhibitory effect of the antioxidants was remarkably promoted in the presence of lecithin (L/GA/MG > L/GA > L/MG)., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Lipid peroxidation (LPO) is reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of several oxidative diseases, and several therapeutic approaches using antioxidants have been proposed. LPO is thought to progress via a complicated series of multistep reactions suggesting that the activity of each antioxidant may be different, and depends on the reacting molecules. Hence, in this study, we evaluated the inhibitory mechanisms of several antioxidants toward arachidonic acid (AA) peroxidation induced by the azo initiator 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH) or a lipid hydroperoxide, hydroperoxyoctadecadienoic acid (HpODE)/hemin. Edaravone, ferrostatin-1, TEMPO and trolox effectively inhibited the production of malondialdehyde (MDA) and several oxidised AAs generated in the AAPH-induced LPO because of their scavenging ability toward lipid peroxyl radicals. In contrast, ebselen and ferrostatin-1 showed strong antioxidative activity in the HpODE/hemin-induced peroxidation. Under this condition, ebselen and ferrostatin-1 were thought to reduce HpODE and its derived alkoxyl radicals to the corresponding lipid alcohols. In conclusion, we found that each antioxidant had different antioxidative activities that prevented the progression of LPO. We expect that these findings will contribute to the design of novel therapeutic strategies using an appropriate antioxidant targeted to each step of the development of oxidative stress diseases.

In lipid dispersions, the ability of reactants to move from one lipid particle to another is an important, yet often ignored, determinant of lipid oxidation and its inhibition by antioxidants. This review describes three putative interparticle transfer mechanisms for oxidants and antioxidants: (a) diffusion, (b) collision-exchange-separation, and (c) micelle-assisted transfer. Mechanism a involves the diffusion of molecules from one particle to another through the intervening aqueous phase. Mechanism b involves the transfer of molecules from one particle to another when the particles collide with each other. Mechanism c involves the solubilization of molecules in micelles within the aqueous phase and then their transfer between particles. During lipid oxidation, the accumulation of surface-active lipid hydroperoxides (LOOHs) beyond their critical micelle concentration may shift their mass transport from the collision-exchange-separation pathway (slow transfer) to the micelle-assisted mechanism (fast transfer), which may account for the transition from the initiation to the propagation phase. Similarly, the cut-off effect governing antioxidant activity in lipid dispersions may be due to the fact that above a certain hydrophobicity, the transfer mechanism for antioxidants changes from diffusion to collision-exchange-separation. This hypothesis provides a simple model to rationalize the design and formulation of antioxidants and dispersed lipids.

Background: As a result of concerns regarding possible health hazards of synthetic antioxidants, gallic acid and methyl gallate may be introduced as natural antioxidants to improve oxidative stability of marine oil. Since conventional modelling could not predict the oxidative parameters precisely, artificial neural network (ANN) and neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) modelling with three inputs, including type of antioxidant (gallic acid and methyl gallate), temperature (35, 45 and 55 °C) and concentration (0, 200, 400, 800 and 1600 mg L(-1) ) and four outputs containing induction period (IP), slope of initial stage of oxidation curve (k1 ) and slope of propagation stage of oxidation curve (k2 ) and peroxide value at the IP (PVIP ) were performed to predict the oxidation parameters of Kilka oil triacylglycerols and were compared to multiple linear regression (MLR)., Results: The results showed ANFIS was the best model with high coefficient of determination (R(2)  = 0.99, 0.99, 0.92 and 0.77 for IP, k1 , k2 and PVIP , respectively). So, the RMSE and MAE values for IP were 7.49 and 4.92 in ANFIS model. However, they were to be 15.95 and 10.88 and 34.14 and 3.60 for the best MLP structure and MLR, respectively. So, MLR showed the minimum accuracy among the constructed models., Conclusion: Sensitivity analysis based on the ANFIS model suggested a high sensitivity of oxidation parameters, particularly the induction period on concentrations of gallic acid and methyl gallate due to their high antioxidant activity to retard oil oxidation and enhanced Kilka oil shelf life. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.)

A series of fatty acid conjugates of trans-3,4-dihydroxy-1-selenolane (DHS) were synthesized by reacting DHS with appropriate acid chlorides. The obtained monoesters were evaluated for their antioxidant capacities by the lipid peroxidation assay using a lecithin/cholesterol liposome as a model system. The observed antioxidant capacities against accumulation of the lipid hydroperoxide (LOOH) increased with increasing the alkyl chain length and became saturated for dodecanoic acid (C12) or higher fatty acid monoesters, for which the capacities were much greater than those of DHS, its tridecanoic acid (C13) diester, and PhSeSePh. On the other hand, the bacteriostatic activity of myristic acid (C14) monoester, evaluated through the colony formation assay using Bacillus subtilis, indicated that it has higher affinity to bacterial cell membranes than parent DHS. Since DHS-fatty acid conjugates would inhibit lipid peroxidation through glutathione peroxidase (GPx)-like 2e- mechanism, higher fatty acid monoesters of DHS can mimic the function of GPx4, which interacts with LOOH to reduce it to harmless alcohol (LOH). Importance of the balance between hydrophilicity and lipophilicity for the design of effective GPx4 mimics was suggested.

The influence of droplet size on the antioxidant activity of oil-in-water emulsions loaded with rosemary extract in mixed emulsion systems was investigated. Firstly, differently sized hexadecane-in-water model emulsions (10% (w/w) hexadecane, 2% (w/w) Tween 80, pH 5 or 7) containing 4000 ppm rosemary extract in the oil phase or without added antioxidant were prepared using a high shear blender and/or high-pressure homogenizer. Secondly, emulsions were mixed with fish oil-in-water emulsions (10% (w/w) fish oil, 2% (w/w) Tween 80, pH 5 or 7) at a mixing ratio of 1 : 1. Optical microscopy and static light scattering measurements indicated that emulsions were physically stable for 21 days, except for the slight aggregation of emulsions with a mean droplet size d₄₃ of 4500 nm. The droplet size of hexadecane-in-water emulsions containing rosemary extract had no influence on the formation of lipid hydroperoxides at pH 5 and 7. Significantly lower concentrations of propanal were observed for the emulsions loaded with rosemary extract with a mean droplet size d₄₃ of 4500 nm from day 12 to 16 at pH 7. Finally, hexadecane-in-water emulsions containing rosemary extract significantly retarded lipid oxidation of fish oil-in-water emulsions in mixed systems, but no differences in antioxidant efficacy between the differently sized emulsions were observed at pH 5.

Lipid oxidation leads to endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, and foam cell formation during atherogenesis. Glucose also contributes to lipid oxidation and promotes pathologic changes in membrane structural organization, including the development of cholesterol crystalline domains. In this study, we tested the comparative effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), an omega-3 fatty acid indicated for the treatment of very high triglyceride (TG) levels, and other TG-lowering agents (fenofibrate, niacin, and gemfibrozil) on lipid oxidation in human low-density lipoprotein (LDL) as well as membrane lipid vesicles prepared in the presence of glucose (200 mg/dL). We also examined the antioxidant effects of EPA in combination with atorvastatin o-hydroxy (active) metabolite (ATM). Glucose-induced changes in membrane structural organization were measured using small angle x-ray scattering approaches and correlated with changes in lipid hydroperoxide (LOOH) levels. EPA was found to inhibit LDL oxidation in a dose-dependent manner (1.0-10.0 µM) and was distinguished from the other TG-lowering agents, which had no significant effect as compared to vehicle treatment alone. Similar effects were observed in membrane lipid vesicles exposed to hyperglycemic conditions. The antioxidant activity of EPA, as observed in glucose-treated vesicles, was significantly enhanced in combination with ATM. Glucose treatment produced highly-ordered, membrane-restricted, cholesterol crystalline domains, which correlated with increased LOOH levels. Of the agents tested in this study, only EPA inhibited glucose-induced cholesterol domain formation. These data demonstrate that EPA, at pharmacologic levels, inhibits hyperglycemia-induced changes in membrane lipid structural organization through a potent antioxidant mechanism associated with its distinct, physicochemical interactions with the membrane bilayer., (Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Eugenol (4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol), a major phenolic component from clove oil (Eugenia caryophyllata), has several biological activities. To estimate the capacity of eugenol to act as an antioxidant, the following were studied: 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl-, 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)-, and N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine-scavenging activity; total antioxidant activity; and ability to reduce ferric ions and cupric ions. Eugenol inhibited 96.7% (r(2)=0.9319) lipid peroxidation of a linoleic acid emulsion at a 15-μg/mL concentration. Butylated hydroxyanisole, butylated hydroxytoluene, α-tocopherol, and Trolox(®) displayed 95.4% (r(2)=0.8482), 99.7% (r(2)=0.7798), 84.6% (r(2)=0.9272), and 95.6% (r(2)=0.8511) inhibition of peroxidation, respectively, at the 15-μg/mL concentration. According to the results of this study, eugenol had the most powerful antioxidant activity and radical-scavenging activity. This study should prompt further studies of the antioxidant properties of eugenol.

The series of fifteen synthesized 4-hydroxycoumarin derivatives was subjected to antioxidant activity evaluation in vitro, through total antioxidant capacity, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl radical, lipid peroxide scavenging and chelating activity. The highest activity was detected during the radicals scavenging, with 2b, 6b, 2c, and 4c noticed as the most active. The antioxidant activity was further quantified by the quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) studies. For this purpose, the structures were optimized using Paramethric Method 6 (PM6) semi-empirical and Density Functional Theory (DFT) B3LYP methods. Bond dissociation enthalpies of coumarin 4-OH, Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) gained hybridization of the oxygen, acidity of the hydrogen atom and various molecular descriptors obtained, were correlated with biological activity, after which we designed 20 new antioxidant structures, using the most favorable structural motifs, with much improved predicted activity in vitro.

The effectiveness of naturally occurring antioxidant quercetin in the inactivation of the damaging lipid peroxide radical was investigated by means of hybrid density functional based approach, using the direct dynamics method, where the thermal rate constants were calculated using variational transition-state theory with multidimensional tunneling. H-atom abstraction in quercetin by CH(3)OO peroxide occurs preferentially at the 4'OH phenolic site, from both kinetic and thermodynamic points of view. In principle, the narrowness of the obtained adiabatic potential-energy profile makes the occurrence of a significant tunnelling contribution possible. In fact, this contribution enhances the value of the computed rate constant at 300 K from 1.94 x 10(1) to 9.63 x 10(3) M(-1) s(-1) indicating that quercetin is a potent natural antioxidant in trapping and scavenging free radicals.

Although considerable numbers of reviews are available on toxicity of major body organs based on electron transfer (ET), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and oxidative stress (OS), the integrated concept has been less applied to glands. This review represents an interdisciplinary approach to thyroid toxicity, involving ET, ROS, OS, cell signaling, receptors, toxicants, and beneficial effects of antioxidants (AOs). The introductory portion includes general function of the thyroid as well as the mechanism of thyroxine synthesis entailing participation of oxidative events, including the role of iodine. Various ROS, both endogenous and exogenous, are importantly involved in the diverse toxic manifestations. Discussion is centered on hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxides. There is also treatment of receptor-ligand activity. Cell signaling participates in the various biochemical events taking place in the thyroid, both beneficial and adverse. In addition, the mechanism of cell signaling is discussed based on radicals, ET, relays, conduits, and electrochemistry. In addition to endogenous toxins, various exogenous ones are addressed, falling in diverse classes. Data indicate involvement of ET-ROS-OS in the toxic manifestations. Large numbers of reports reveal the beneficial effects of AOs in countering the toxicity, which is in accord with the mechanistic framework.

Abutilon indicum L. (Malvaceae) and Abutilon muticum DC. (Malvaceae) are traditional medicinal herbs used for analgesic, anthelmintic, hepatoprotective, and hypoglycemic properties. These effects may be correlated with the presence of antioxidant compounds. Extracts in organic solvents from the aerial parts and roots of both species were prepared and evaluated for their total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total phenolic content, and total flavonoid content. The Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) of all the extracts of both plants was found, employing ABTS and FRAP assays. TEAC values ranged from 3.019 to 10.5 muM for n-hexane and butanol fractions of Abutilon indicum and from 2.247 to 14.208 muM for n-hexane and butanol fractions of Abutilon muticum, respectively, using the ABTS assay. The FRAP assay showed reducing powers of the fractions in the order of butanol > ethyl acetate > chloroform > n-hexane and butanol > chloroform > hexane > ethyl acetate for Abutilon indicum and Abutilon muticum, respectively. EC(50) and T(EC50) values for the extracts of both plants were determined using the DPPH free radical assay. The reaction kinetics with this free radical indicated the presence of both slow reacting and fast reacting antioxidant components in the extracts of both plants. The antioxidant/radical scavenging capacity of the extracts was found to be a dose-dependent activity. The results obtained in the present study indicate that both Abutilon species are potential sources of natural antioxidants.

Curcumin (1,7-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione, 1) is a yellow ingredient isolated from turmeric (curcumin longa). Many health benefits have been claimed for curcumin, and these have generally been ascribed to its radical-trapping antioxidant properties. In order to find more active antioxidants with 1 as the lead compound, we synthesized curcumin analogues, i.e., 1,7-bis(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione (2), 1-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-7-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione (3), 1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-7-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione (4), 1,7-bis (4-hydroxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione (5), 1,7-bis(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione (6), 1,7-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione (7), and 1,7-diphenyl-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione (8). Antioxidative effects of curcumin and these analogues against the peroxidation of linoleic acid were studied in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) micelles. The peroxidation was initiated thermally by a water-soluble initiator 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane hydrochloride) (AAPH), and reaction kinetics were monitored by the formation of linoleic acid hydroperoxides. Kinetic analysis of the antioxidation process demonstrates that these compounds, except 6, 7 and 8, are effective antioxidants in micelles by H-atom abstraction from the phenolic groups. Compounds 2 and 3, which bear ortho-diphenoxyl functionality, possess significantly higher antioxidant activity than curcumin and other analogues, and the 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl group also plays an important role in the antioxidative activity. In addition, the synergistic antioxidant effect of these compounds with alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) in micelles was also studied by following the formation of linoleic acid hydroperoxides and the consumption of alpha-tocopherol. It was found that these compounds could not synergistically interact with alpha-tocopherol in micelles.

The antioxidant activity of vegetables subjected to minimal processing (in MAP, and intended for cooking or for use in salads), dehydrated condiments and ready-to-eat vegetables such as soups and purees, was assessed by reference to their ability to scavenge lipoperoxyl and hydroxyl radicals and Trolox-equivalent antioxidant capacity. In the case, the MAP vegetables the measurements were repeated during eight days of storage in a domestic refrigerator and after cooking (boiling, microwaving, pressure cooking, griddling, frying and baking). MAP vegetables had a good or very good antioxidant capacity, and showed no significant loss of antioxidant activity or scavenging capacity compared with fresh vegetables. The cooking treatments that keep the antioxidant activity of MAP vegetables are microwaving, sautéing and baking. The most aggressive method of cooking were steaming, boiling and frying. The dehydrated condiments (tablets) showed higher antioxidant activity than the ready-to-eat soup. The enrichment of stews and casseroles, with dehydrated vegetable tablets, and the consumption of soup or vegetable purees represent an increased antioxidant intake in our diet. Also "ready-to-eat" vegetable soups show antioxidant activity after they have been submitted to heat treatment to increase their shelf-life. They can be recommended as alternatives in our non-stop "life style".

The decomposition of peroxidized lipids of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) has been suggested to be involved in atherosclerosis. In this study, an in vitro system with 13-hydroperoxylinoleic acid (13-HPODE) was used to determine the effects of antioxidants on its decomposition. Decomposition of 13-HPODE was not affected by alpha-tocopherol, several other antioxidants, or antioxidant enzymes. Moreover, the inclusion of alpha-tocopherol during the decomposition of 13-HPODE resulted in an accumulation of aldehydes. Further oxidation of aldehydes to carboxylic acids by a number of oxidases was prevented by alpha-tocopherol. Conversely, the formation of carboxylic acids may be conducive to plaque stabilization via immunomodulation, rapid degradation, and by calcium sequestration. Thus, the inhibition of formation of carboxylic acids could be a serious deleterious effect of antioxidant treatment. In contrast, alpha-keto acids, like pyruvic acid, promoted the conversion of 13-HPODE to 13-hydroxylinoleic acid (13-HODE) by readily undergoing decarboxylation into acetate. These observations suggest that agents that promote the reduction of lipid peroxides into lipid hydroxides could be far more effective in treating cardiovascular diseases as opposed alpha-tocopherol-like antioxidants that could affect additional steps in the oxidation cascade.

The free radical reaction of polyunsaturated fatty acids with molecular oxygen leads to hydroperoxides as the first stable products. From linoleic acid the two conjugated diene hydroperoxides at carbons 9 and 13 were considered the only primary products until the recent discovery of the bis-allylic 11-hydroperoxide. The 11-carbon is the site of the initial hydrogen abstraction, and the 11-hydroperoxide is formed without isomerization of the 9,10 and 12,13 cis double bonds. In the autoxidation reaction, bis-allylic hydroperoxides are obtained only in the presence of an efficient antioxidant, for example, alpha-tocopherol. The antioxidant functions as a hydrogen atom donor, necessary to trap the fleeting bis-allylic peroxyl radical intermediate as the hydroperoxide. Understanding of the mechanism of formation of bis-allylic hydroperoxides has led to increased appreciation of the central role of the intermediate peroxyl radical in determining the outcome of lipid peroxidation.

The purpose of this study was to determine and compare the phenolic acid composition, flavonoid content and antioxidant activity of fruits from common date cultivars. The simple phenolic content ranged from 15.73 (Mermella variety) to 54.66 mg/100 g fresh weight (Korkobbi variety). Korkobbi had also the highest content of total flavonoids (54.46 quercetin equivalents/100 g fresh weight). The percentage of inhibition can reach 83% in the lipoperoxyl radical of the Korkobbi variety, while it was about 95% with the Rotbi variety for OH.. The Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity value provided a ranking in decreasing order at 6 min: Korkobbi > Bouhattam > Baht = Smiti > Bekreri = Garn ghzal > Mermilla = Kenta > Nefzaoui = Rotbi. It seems that the highest level of flavonoids in the Korkobbi variety was principally responsible for the highest antiradical efficiency of this cultivar.

The antioxidant activity of different edible mushrooms was evaluated considering the different contribution of individual and combined extracts. The radical scavenging capacity was evaluated through hydrogen atom transfer and single electron transfer reaction-based assays: DPPH radical scavenging activity and reducing power, respectively. The inhibition of lipid peroxidation was studied in lipossomes solutions by the β-carotene-linoleate system. Three types of interactions (synergistic, additive and negative synergistic effects) were observed, synergism being the most abundant effect. Marasmius oreades is present in the mixtures with higher antioxidant properties and synergistic effects, while Cantharellus cibarius is present in the mixtures with lowest antioxidant properties and negative synergist effects. Two discriminant analyses were performed considering individual species in one case and mushroom mixtures in the other. The five mushroom species were clustered in five individual groups, but a similar result could not be obtained for the combined mushrooms, for which only the cases containing C. cibarius were separated in individual clusters.

Steroid hormones have been reported to activate various signal transducers that trigger a variety of cellular responses. Among these hormones, testosterone has been identified as an antioxidant that protects against cellular damage. Therefore, using mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells as a model system, this study evaluated the effects of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a biologically active testosterone metabolite, on H2O2-induced apoptosis. H2O2 increased the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and DNA fragmentation but reduced the cell viability in a time-dependent manner (> or =8 h). Moreover, H2O2 decreased the level of DNA synthesis and the levels of the cell cycle regulatory proteins [cyclin D1, cyclin E, cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 2, and CDK 4]. These effects of H2O2 were inhibited by a pretreatment with DHT. However, a treatment with flutamide (androgen receptor inhibitor, 10(-3) M) abolished the protective effects of DHT. This result was supported by the presence of the androgen receptor in mouse ES cells. The activity of the antioxidant enzyme, catalase, was increased by the DHT treatment but not by a co-treatment with DHT and flutamide. Using CM-H(2)DCFDA (DCF-DA) for the detection of intracellular H2O2, DHT decreased the intracellular H2O2 levels but flutamide blocked this effect. H2O2 also increased the level of p38 MAPK, JNK/SAPK, and NF-kappaB phosphorylation, which were inhibited by the DHT pretreatment. Catalase inhibited the effect of H2O2 on MAPKs and NF-kappaB. However, the flutamide treatment abolished the inhibitory effects of DHT on the H2O2-induced increase in the levels of p38 MAPK, JNK/SAPK, and NF-kappaB phosphorylation. DHT inhibited the H2O2-induced increase in caspase-3 expression and decreased the level of Bcl-2 and the cellular inhibitor of apoptosis protein (cIAP)-2. These effects were abolished by the flutamide treatment. In conclusion, DHT prevents the H2O2-induced apoptotic cell death of mouse ES cells through the activation of catalase and the downregulation of p38 MAPK, JNK/SAPK, and NF-kappaB via the androgen receptor., ((c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

The antioxidant activities of three marine oligosaccharides, alginate oligosaccharides (AOs), chitosan oligosaccharides (COs), and fucoidan oligosaccharides (FOs), were investigated in vitro by several antioxidant assays, including hydroxyl radical scavenging, superoxide radical scavenging, erythrocyte hemolysis inhibiting, metal chelating activities, and anti-lipid peroxidation. The results show that these oligosaccharides exhibited different activities in various assays. AOs had the highest scavenging hydroxyl radical activity than FOs and COs at all the tested amounts. COs had the highest scavenging superoxide radical and inhibiting erythrocyte hemolysis activity than AOs and FOs at all the tested amounts. In the assay of chelating Fe2+, COs and FOs indicated good chelation while AOs hardly had any activity. In the assay of anti-lipid peroxidation, only COs had significantly high antioxidant activity.

Fermented food is a rich source of antioxidants and micronutrients with the potential to prevent various human diseases. The increasing evidence indicates that in addition to its direct action, radical-scavenging antioxidants may modulate the cellular antioxidant system such as glutathione. In the present study, we investigated the antioxidant activity of Antioxidant Biofactor (AOB) extracts, a mixture of commercially available fermented grain food by using chemical and cellular experimental systems. In the former system, the total radical scavenging capacity was assessed from the bleaching of pyranine and pyrogallol red that is induced by free radicals generated from an azo initiator. In this assay system, the radical scavenging capacity per gram of AOB was estimated to be 95 micromol. On the other hand, the cytoprotective effect of AOB was also investigated on the basis of PC12 cell death induced by 6-hydroxydopamine. In this cellular system, AOB extract exhibited a cytoprotective effect only when the cells were pretreated with AOB. This pretreatment resulted in a significant increase in the levels of cellular glutathione as well as regulator of glutathione synthesis, such as the cystine/glutamate exchange transport system (xCT). This evidence suggests that AOB possesses both direct and indirect antioxidant activities to cope with oxidative insults.

Forty-three secondary metabolites were isolated and characterized from cv. Annurca apple fruit, an apple variety cultivated in the south of Italy. This apple cultivar undergoes a typical reddening treatment after collection. All of the compounds were characterized on the basis of their spectroscopic data. The compounds were tested for their radical-scavenging and antioxidant activities by measuring their capacity to scavenge DPPH* (2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical), H2O2, and NO (nitric oxide) and to inhibit the formation of methyl linoleate conjugated diene hydroperoxides or TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive species).

Linoleic acid hydroperoxide (LAOOH) was effectively degraded by horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in the presence of quercetin. Several natural phenolic antioxidants, such as quercetin, capsaicin, and alpha-tocopherol, acted as good hydrogen donors in the peroxidase reaction that occurs during lipid hydroperoxide degradation. However, glutathione, which is a non-phenolic antioxidant that acts as a hydrogen donor for glutathione peroxidase, could not suppress lipid peroxidation in the presence of HRP. Lipid hydroperoxides generated from eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were also degraded with HRP in the presence of quercetin, and oxidative decomposition of DHA was suppressed by this reaction.

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Petit Havana) callus cultures were exposed to UV-C high dose pulse-treatment (254 nm, 50 kJ m(-2), 1 h-treatment). After 6, 24 and 48 h from the end of the treatment, calli were cut transversally in two layers and oxidative damage (malondialdehyde [MDA] and hydrogen peroxide), non-enzymatic (radical scavenging antioxidants [RSA] and polyamines) and enzymatic antioxidants (ascorbate peroxidase [APX, EC 1.11.1.11], glutathione reductase [GR, EC 1.6.4.2], catalase [CAT, EC 1.11.1.6] and guaiacol peroxidase [GPX, EC 1.11.1.7]) were evaluated. At each time-point data referred to UV-C treated calli were compared to data of untreated ones (control). Despite of a strong increase of H2O2 content, a slight cellular damage was observed in both upper and lower layers 24 and 48 h after UV-C treatment. An activation first of non-enzymatic antioxidants and then of enzymatic antioxidants was detected in UV-C treated calli. In particular, RSA and putrescine (PUT) accumulated 6 h after UV-C treatment while APX, GR and GPX enzyme activities increased 24 h after UV-C irradiation. Catalase activity did not change. UV-C-induced oxidative stress and antioxidative response were observed also in cell layers not directly exposed to UV irradiation, indicating that a stress signal was transmitted to the whole mass of callus., (Copyright 2004 Elsevier SAS)

The anti-ulcerogenic effect of chitin and chitosan against ulcer induced by HCl-ethanol in male Wistar rats was studied. Levels of acid output, pepsin, protein, lipid peroxides and reduced glutathione and the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were determined in the gastric mucosa of normal and experimental groups of rats. A significant increase in volume and acidity of the gastric juice was observed in the ulcer-induced group of rats. Peptic activity was significantly decreased as compared with that of normal controls. In the rats pre-treated with chitin and chitosan 2% along with feed, the volume and acid output and peptic activity of gastric mucosa were maintained at near normal levels. The level of lipid peroxidation was significantly higher in the ulcerated mucosa when compared with that of normal controls. This was paralleled by a decline in the level of reduced glutathione and in the activity of antioxidant enzymes like GPx, GST, CAT and SOD in the gastric mucosa of ulcer-induced rats. Also, the levels of mucosal proteins and glycoprotein components were significantly depleted in ulcerated mucosa. The pre-treatment with chitin and chitosan was found to exert a significant anti-ulcer effect by preventing all the HCl-ethanol-induced ulcerogenic effects in experimental rats.

Involvement of free radicals and nitric oxide (NO) has long been implicated to the pathogenesis of essential hypertension. Several studies using antioxidants as the radical scavenger have shown to confer protection against free radical mediated diseases. This study is designed to investigate the role of antioxidant gamma-tocotrienol on endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). SHR's were divided into four groups namely untreated SHR (HC), treatment with 15 mg gamma-tocotrienol/kg diet (gammal), 30 mg gamma-tocotrienol/kg diet (gamma2) and 150 mg gamma-tocotrienol/kg diet (gamma3) and studied for three months. Wister Kyoto (WKY) rats were used as the control (C). Blood pressure was recorded every fortnightly by tail plethysmography. Animals were sacrificed and NOS activity in blood vessels was measured by [3H]arginine radioactive assay. Nitrite concentration in plasma was determined by Greis assay and lipid peroxides in the blood vessels by spectrofluorometry. This study showed that gamma-tocotrienol significantly reduced systolic blood pressure (SBP) in SHRs with a maximum reduction in group treated with gamma-tocotrienol 15 mg/kg diet (HC: 210 +/- 9 mmHg, gammal:123 +/- 19 mmHg). Blood vessels from untreated SHR showed a reduced NOS activity compare to that of WKY rats (C: 1.54 +/- 0.26 pmol/mg protein, HC: 0.87 +/- 0.23 pmol/mg protein; p<0.001). Gamma-tocotrienol improves NOS activity in all the groups with more significance in group gamma2 (p<0.001) and gamma3 (p<0.05). Plasma level of nitrite was reduced in SHR from 55 +/- 3 microM/ml in WKY to 26+/-2 muM/ml (p<0.001). Plasma nitrite level was reversed by treatment with gamma-tocotrienol. (gammal: p<0.001, gamma2: p<0.005, gamma3: p<0.001, respectively). In all the treatment groups, NOS activity showed significant negative correlation with blood pressure (gammal: r=-0.716, p<0.05; gamma2: r=-0.709, p<0.05; gamma3: r=-0.789, p<0.05). For plasma nitrite, although it shows a negative correlation with blood pressure it was significant only in gammal (r=-0.676, p<0.05) and gamma2 (r=-0.721, p<0.05). From this study we found that compared to WKY rats, SHR has lower NOS activity in blood vessels, which upon treatment with antioxidant gamma-tocotrienol increased the NO activity and concomitantly reduced the blood pressure. These findings further strengthen the hypothesis that free radicals and NO play critical role in pathogenesis of essential hypertension.

The stability of plant oils is related to the level of polyunsaturated fatty acids and the presence of native antioxidants--especially tocopherols. During storage, lipids or the fat products undergo oxidation and tocopherol dimers and trimers are formed. These compounds possess reducing and antioxidant properties and participate in oxidation clearly inhibiting this process. In the present study, the correlation between levels of peroxides formed during autoxidation of methyl linoleate and simultaneous decomposition of tocopherols was examined. The peroxide value was investigated. Quantities of decomposed tocopherols and formation of their dimers were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Mass spectrum analysis confirmed thatthe analysed compounds were dimes. Dimerisation of gamma-T begins at the smaller quantity of the methyl linoleate peroxides than dimerisation of delta-T. At the beginning of methyl linoleate autoxidation dimerisation of gamma-T in relation to its loss was smaller. The quantity of gamma-T dimers with ether bonds in total dimers pointed to faster binding of phenoxy radicals than transformation into the phenyl ones. delta-T dimers with phenyl bonds constitute about 65% of the total. The quantity of peroxides in methyl linoleate, necessary for quantitative and qualitative changes of homologous tocopherols, decreased from delta-T to alpha-T.

The effect of dopamine-melanin (DA-melanin), synthetic model of neuromelanin, on the stability of 13-hydroperoxyoctadecadienoic acid (13-HPODE) has been investigated using a reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection. It was found that DA-melanin effectively accelerated the decomposition of 13-HPODE, both in the absence and in the presence of ferrous ions. The disappearance of 13-HPODE was accompanied by the formation of 13-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid (13-HODE). The results obtained indicate that DA-melanin is able to reduce linoleic acid hydroperoxide to its stable hydroxyl derivative. The fatty acid hydroperoxide-reducing ability of DA-melanin appears to play an important role in the antioxidative activity of neuromelanin in the process of lipid peroxidation.

beta-Carotene and other carotenoids are widely regarded as biological antioxidants. However, recent clinical trials indicate that beta-carotene supplements are not effective in disease prevention and raise questions about the biological significance of carotenoid antioxidant actions. To further explore this issue, we have reevaluated the antioxidant actions of beta-carotene in liposomal and biological membrane systems. In dilinoleoylphosphatidylcholine liposomes in which 0.35 mol % beta-carotene was incorporated into the bilayer during liposome preparation, the carotenoid inhibited lipid peroxidation initiated by 10 mm azobis[amidinopropane HCl] (AAPH). In carotenoid-free liposome suspensions to which the same amount of beta-carotene was added, no antioxidant effect was observed. Supplementation of rat liver microsomes with beta-carotene in vitro yielded microsomes containing 1.7 nmol beta-carotene mg-1 and 0.16 nmol alpha-tocopherol mg-1 microsomal protein. In beta-carotene supplemented microsomes incubated with 10 mm AAPH under an air atmosphere, lipid peroxidation did not occur until alpha-tocopherol was depleted by approximately 60%. beta-Carotene exerted no apparent antioxidant effect and was not significantly depleted in the incubations. Similar results were obtained when the incubation was done at 3.8 torr O2. In liver microsomes from Mongolian gerbils fed beta-carotene-supplemented diets, beta-carotene levels were 16-37% of alpha-tocopherol levels. The kinetics of AAPH-induced lipid peroxidation were no different in beta-carotene-supplemented microsomes than in microsomes from unsupplemented animals, although the kinetics of beta-carotene and alpha-tocopherol depletion were similar. The results indicate that beta-carotene is ineffective as an antioxidant when added to preformed lipid bilayer membranes and that alpha-tocopherol is a much more effective membrane antioxidant than beta-carotene, regardless of the method of carotenoid-membrane incorporation. These results support a reevaluation of the proposed antioxidant role for beta-carotene in biological membranes.

To clarify the mechanisms of antioxidant action, the effect of alpha-tocopherol and its water-soluble carboxylic acid derivative, Trolox, was studied on the decomposition of methyl linoleate hydroperoxides (MeLoOOH). Decomposition rate and the distribution of autoxidation products formed from MeLoOOH were followed by analyzing the volatile and non-volatile products by static headspace gas chromatography and normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, respectively. Both alpha-tocopherol and Trolox markedly inhibited the decomposition of MeLoOOH in a concentration-dependent way. In the absence of antioxidants, MeLoOOH was completely decomposed after incubation for 48 h at 60 degrees C, and in the presence of equal molar concentration of antioxidants only 6-7% of initial MeLoOOH was decomposed even after 280 h of incubation. MeLoOOH produced 1.2% methyl linoleate hydroxy compounds (MeLoOOH) in the presence of alpha-tocopherol and 3.8% in the presence of Trolox. Both antioxidants inhibited the formation of volatile decomposition products and the formation of ketodiene compounds. The hydroxy compounds may be formed by the reaction of alkoxy radical and hydrogen donating antioxidants. Conversion of MeLoOOH into stable MeLoOH demonstrated that the antioxidants alpha-tocopherol and Trolox trap alkoxyl radicals by H-donation.

The antioxidant and prooxidant properties of some B vitamins (BVIT) and vitamin-like compounds (VLC) that are commonly included in multivitamin preparations were investigated. Microsomal lipid peroxidation induced by FeCl3 and ascorbate was dose-dependently inhibited by pyridoxal and pantothenate but was stimulated by thiamin, pyridoxine and carnitine. Among the compounds tested, only pyridoxine and pyridoxal reacted, but rather poorly, with superoxide anions. All test compounds reacted with .OH with second-order rate constants comparable or higher than that for mannitol, as assayed using deoxyribose oxidation by a system containing EDTA-chelated Fe(III), H2O2 and ascorbate. When assayed in the absence of EDTA, pyridoxal showed increased inhibition of deoxyribose oxidation over that in the presence of EDTA, suggesting a potent ability of pyridoxal to bind and deactivate iron. Pantothenate, pyridoxine and myo-inositol appeared to equally inhibit deoxyribose oxidation both in the presence and absence of EDTA. The lack of inhibition on deoxyribose oxidation in the absence of EDTA by thiamin, carnitine and choline may suggest that the .OH-scavenging ability is equalled by the ability of the scavenger-iron complexes to form .OH or other redox active species. However, stimulation of lipid peroxidation by pyridoxine was unexplained and the effect was not attributed to reduction of Fe(III) to Fe(II). This study shows that the radical-scavenging ability of BVIT and VLC did not correlate with their effects on microsomal lipid peroxidation. Moreover, the stimulation of lipid peroxidation by thiamin, pyridoxine and carnitine suggests that supplementation of large amounts of these compounds may not be desirable.

The antioxidative effect of quercetin, quercetin 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (Q3G), quercetin 4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (Q4'G) and quercetin 7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (Q7G) was examined in solution and liposomal phospholipid suspension. First, their peroxyl radical-scavenging activities were investigated by measuring the inhibition of hydroperoxidation of methyl linoleate initiated by a radical initiator, 2,2'-azobis(2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile) (AMVN). Quercetin exhibited the highest peroxyl radical-scavenging activity judging from the rate of hydroperoxidation during the induction period (Rinh) and the length of induction period (tinh). Although Q7G showed an induction period, its Rinh was higher and its tinh was lower than that of quercetin. Neither Q3G nor Q4'G gave a clear induction period in the curve of hydroperoxide formation. The rate of hydroperoxidation in the presence of Q3G was higher than Rinh of quercetin and the oxidative loss of Q3G was much slower than quercetin or Q7G when exposed to AMVN in solution. Q4'G exerted little inhibition compared to Q3G or Q7G. Next, the antioxidative activity of quercetin and its monoglucosides in phospholipid bilayers was examined by measuring the inhibition of lipid peroxidation in large unilamellar vesicles composed of egg yolk phosphatidylcholine (PC) and a water-soluble radical initiator. They retarded the accumulation of PC-hydroperoxides and the induction period increased in the order of Q4'G < Q3G approximately Q7G < quercetin. It is therefore concluded that quercetin acts as an antioxidant more efficiently than its monoglucosides when phospholipid bilayers are exposed to aqueous oxygen radicals.

A thiol-specific antioxidant protein (Protector Protein, PRP) was purified from human red blood cells (RBC). The PRP exists as a predominant protein in human RBC, which showed distinct thiol-specific antioxidant activities in the presence of dithiothreitol (DTT) as a reducing equivalent. The human RBC PRP (HRPRP) completely inhibited visible absorption spectral changes of oxyhemoglobin, DNA cleavage, and the peroxidation of RBC membrane by a nonenzymatic Fe3+/O2/thiol mixed-function oxidation system capable of generating hydroxyl radical. These observations suggest that HRPRP could act as a new type of antioxidant protein to maintain the RBC integrity by scavenging reactive oxygen species.

The antioxidant effects of manganese and other transition metals were studied as the inhibition of microsomal lipid peroxidation and crocin bleaching by peroxyl radicals. The peroxyl radical scavenging capacity was measured by competition kinetics analysis. While Zn(II), Ni(II), and Fe(II) were almost completely ineffective, Mn(II) and Co(II) showed a free radical scavenging capacity, exhibiting relative rate constant ratios respectively of 0.513 and 0.287. This indicates that Mn(II) is by far the most active. Therefore, the chain-breaking antioxidant capacity of Mn(II) seems to be related to the rapid quenching of peroxyl radicals according to the reaction R-OO. + Mn(II) + H(+)-->ROOH+Mn(III). The antioxidant mechanism is discussed considering the different reduction potentials of the examined cations.

The antioxidant capacity of thyroid hormones and the antithyroid drug propylthiouracil was studied in three model systems, namely, autoxidation of rat brain homogenates and oxidation of rat erythrocyte plasma membranes (EPM) induced by either 2,2'-azobis-(2-amidinopropane) (AAP) thermolysis or by gamma irradiation. Thyroid hormones significantly inhibited the development of lipid peroxidation in these systems at micromolar concentrations, as assessed either by visible light emission, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances accumulation or oxygen uptake. This behaviour was not observed when L-3,3',5-triiodothyronine (T3) and L-thyroxine (T4) were assayed at nanomolar concentrations. In EPM exposed to AAP or gamma irradiation, propylthiouracil inhibited the induced lipid peroxidation, with Q1/2 values of 112-150 microM. It is concluded that the antioxidant capacity of thyroid hormones found in vitro may not be of relevance in physiological conditions, which exhibit variations of T3 and T4 levels in the nanomolar range. On the other hand, the behaviour of propylthiouracil as an inhibitor of EPM lipid peroxidation is observed at concentrations close to the therapeutic levels, thus representing a possible complementary action to its antithyroid activity.

Although N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) and methylmethanesulfonate (MMS) cause injury and malondialdehyde formation in rat hepatocytes, MNNG toxicity is much more sensitive to inhibition by antioxidants. In order to quantify the relationship between toxicity and antioxidation potential, we compared 14 antioxidants that protected against MNNG and MMS toxicity. Chemoprotection was quantified as the concentration that delayed by 1 h the decline in trypan blue exclusion to less than or equal to 50%. While chemoprotection against MNNG and antioxidant efficacy were directly related (R = 0.86), chemoprotection against MMS and antioxidant efficacy were unrelated (R = 0.37). Since we hypothesized that protection against MMS involved stabilization of membranes, the capacity of the 14 compounds to stabilize membranes in an unrelated system (i.e. prevention of erythrocyte osmotic rupture) was assayed. Chemoprotection against both MNNG and MMS correlated with reduced RBC fragility (R = 0.97 and 0.70, respectively). One of the better protecting compounds, 4b,5,9b,10-tetrahydroindeno[1,2-b]indole, was also protective against hepatocellular toxicity mediated by acetaminophen, carbon tetrachloride and tert-butyl hydroperoxide, suggesting a fundamental basis in the mechanism of chemoprotection. We propose that methylating agents and perhaps other chemical toxicants destabilize cellular membranes resulting in hepatocellular injury. For MNNG, radical mediated events may result in membrane destabilization; for MMS, membranes are destabilized without concurrent radical events. The current studies provide a basis for future work to determine structure-activity relationships of chemoprotective agents, examine protection mechanisms, and develop better protective compounds.