H. Haraguchi et al., INHIBITION OF LIPID-PEROXIDATION AND SUPEROXIDE GENERATION BY DITERPENOIDS FROM ROSMARINUS-OFFICINALIS, Planta medica, 61(4), 1995, pp. 333-336
Four diterpenoids, carnosic acid (1), carnosol (2), rosmanol (3), and
epirosmanol (4), were isolated as antioxidative agents from the leaves
of Rosmarinus officinalis by bioassay-directed fractionation. These d
iterpenoids inhibited superoxide anion production in the xanthine/xant
hine oxidase system. Mitochondrial and microsomal lipid peroxidation i
nduced by NADH or NADPH oxidation were also completely inhibited by th
ese diterpenes at the concentration of 3-30 mu M. Furthermore, carnosi
c acid protected red cells against oxidative hemolysis. These phenolic
diterpenes were shown to be effective to protect biological systems a
gainst oxidative stresses.