Resveratrol analogues like piceatannol are potent antioxidants as quantitatively demonstrated through the high scavenging ability against reactive oxygen species and methyl radical.

Resveratrol (RSV) analogues have attracted much attention because of the expected health functions including antioxidant activities. We have carried out a quantitative determination of the scavenging abilities of six trans-RSV analogues against various reactive oxygen species and methyl radical (hydroxyl radical, superoxide, alkoxyl radical, peroxyl radical, methyl radical, and singlet oxygen). RSV analogues are in general more potent scavenger than the parent RSV. Furthermore, piceatannol (PIC) having two OH groups in the ortho position of resveratrol was found to show 11 times higher scavenging ability against peroxyl radical than parent resveratrol. With the aid of previous theoretical studies, the enhanced antioxidant ability was interpreted based on the effects of substituent that modifies the original resveratrol structure and function.