Comparison of antioxidative and chelating effects of daidzein and daidzin on protein oxidative modification by copper in vitro.

Daidzein and its glycoside daidzin are isoflavones. Their antioxidative effects were compared in vitro. Although both compounds inhibited protein oxidative modification by copper, the inhibitory effect of daidzein was stronger than that of daidzin. Because daidzein showed a greater affinity for Cu2+, the antioxidant effect of these isoflavones may be dependent on their respective copper-chelating abilities.