Antioxidant actions of plant foods: Use of oxidative DNA damage as a tool for studying antioxidant efficacy

Plant-food-derived antioxidants and active principles such as flavonoids, h ydroxycinnamates (ferulic acid, chlorogenic acids, vanillin etc.), beta-car otene and other carotenoids, vitamin E, vitamin C, or rosemary, sage, tea a nd numerous extracts are increasingly proposed as important dietary antioxi dant factors. In this endeavor, assays involving oxidative DNA damage for c haracterizing the potential antioxidant actions are suggested as in vitro s creens of antioxidant efficacy. The critical question is the bioavailabilit y of the plant-derived antioxidants.