PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF METHOXY PHENOLS

A few structurally related phenols, dehydrozingerone (DZ), bromopenten one (BP), eugenol (EG) and isoeugenol (IEG), derived from plant produc ts show antioxidant properties by inhibiting lipid peroxidation in mem brane models. The phenoxyl radicals produced by the scavenging of free radicals during the inhibition of lipid peroxidation, were also gener ated by specific one-electron oxidants using pulse radiolysis. The rad ical lifetimes (second order rate constants for radical-radical reacti ons), reactivities with hydroxyl and model peroxyl radicals and the on e-electron reduction potentials with respect to the standard couples w ere quantified. These results along with their lipophilicity data were correlated with their antioxidant activity (IC50 values). (C) 1998 El sevier Science Inc.