ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES OF STEROIDS

To determine the relative ranking of antioxidative potential of variou s steroids the effect of 14 steroid compounds on the fluorescence of p hycoerythrin was monitored over time following the addition of a perox y radical generator 2,2'-azobis (2-amidino-propane) dihydrochloride. T he rate of decay of fluorescence in the presence of a 200 nM of 17beta -estradiol, 17alpha-estradiol and estriol expressed as percentages of the rate of decay in the absence of these compounds (control curve), w ere 74.1 +/- 6.3, 84.0 +/- 5.42 and 64.2 +/- 2.53%, respectively (P < 0.005). Cortisone and corticosterone appeared to have very mild proxid ant properties. Other steroids tested such as estrone, testosterone, p rogesterone, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone, cortisol, tetrah ydrocortisone, deoxycorticosterone and aldosterone had no significant antioxident properties. It is concluded that estrogens especially estr iol and 17beta-estradiol are naturally occurring antioxidants.