Antioxidant activity of anthraquinones and anthrone

The antioxidant properties of anthraquinones (AQs) and anthrone were evalua ted using different model systems. The antioxidant activity of these compou nds (200 ppm) on the inhibition of peroxidation of linoleic acid was found to be in the order of BHA (96%), anthrone (95%), alizarin (93%) > aloe-emod in (78%) > rhein (71%) > emodin (36%) > anthraquinone (8%). Chrysophanol ac celerated the peroxidation of linoleic acid. Anthrone and alizarin exhibite d a reducing power, although the other AQs did not show any reducing power. AQs and anthrone exhibited a weak chelating ability on iron (II). At a con centration of 0.25 mg/ml, the scavenging effects of anthrone, aloe-emodin a nd emodin, on hydroxyl radicals produced by the Fenton reaction were 26.2, 16.6 and 41.8%, respectively. However, at the same concentration, anthraqui none, alizarin, chrysophanol and rhein accelerated the production of hydrox yl radicals. These results suggest that the antioxidant mechanism, for both emodin and aloe-emodin, possibly depends on scavenging hydroxyl radicals. The strong activity shown by anthrone could be due to its reducing power an d scavenging effects on hydroxyl radicals. The pro-oxidant activity exhibit ed by chrysophanol might be due to the enhanced production of free radicals . (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.