THE ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF GENISTEIN IN-VITRO

Genistein, a flavonoid isolated from soy beans, has been studied with respect to its antioxidative characteristics. The material proved to b e effective against UVA and UVB or peroxyl radical-induced lipid perox idation in liposomes. Genistein was however ineffective in preventing conjugated diene formation in linoleic acid micelles. Other peroxidati ve systems involving hydrogen peroxide, such as metmyoglobin peroxidas e activity and Fel ascorbate/hydrogen peroxide oxidation of liposomes, were inhibited by genistein. As measured by catechol decolorization, genistein did not appear to chelate iron. Genistein removed hydrogen p eroxide efficiently when phenol red was coupled with peroxidase; howev er, when o-dianisidine was used as the color reagent there was no appa rent loss of hydrogen peroxide, possibly due to oxidation of the dye b y the product of genistein and hydrogen peroxide, This study provides further evidence that genistein is an effective scavenger of hydrogen peroxide but is less effective against other peroxidative systems.