Evaluation of the antioxidant actions of ferulic acid and catechins.

We have evaluated the abilities of ferulic acid, (+/-) catechin, (+) catechin and (-) epicatechin to scavenge the reactive oxygen species hydroxyl radical (OH.), hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and peroxyl radicals (RO2.). Ferulic acid tested at concentrations up to 5 mM inhibited the peroxidation of phospholipid liposomes. Both (+/-) and (+) catechin and (-) epicatechin were much more effective. All the compounds tested reacted with trichloromethyl peroxyl radical (CCl3 O2.) with rate constants > 1 x 10(6) M-1 s-1. A mixture of FeCl3-EDTA, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and ascorbic acid at pH 7.4, has often been used to generate hydroxyl radicals (OH.) which are detected by their ability to cause damage to the sugar deoxyribose. Ferulic acid, (+) and (+/-) catechin and (-) epicatechin inhibited deoxyribose damage by reacting with OH. with rate constants of 4.5 x 10(9)M-1 s-1, 3.65 x 10(9) M-1 s-1, 2.36 x 10(9) M-1 s-1 and 2.84 x 10(9) M-1 s-1 respectively. (-) Epicatechin, ferulic acid and the (+) and (+/-) catechins exerted pro-oxidant action, accelerating damage to DNA in the presence of a bleomycin-iron complex. On a molar basis, ferulic acid was less effective in causing damage to DNA compared with the catechins. A mixture of hypoxanthine and xanthine oxidase generates O2-. which reduces cytochrome c to ferrocytochrome c. (+) Catechin and (-) epicatechin inhibited the reduction of cytochrome c in a concentration dependent manner. Ferulic acid and (+/-) catechin had only weak effects. All the compounds tested were able to scavenge hypochlorous acid at a rate sufficient to protect alpha-1-antiproteinase against inactivation. Our results show that catechins and ferulic acid possess antioxidant properties. This may become important given the current search for "natural" replacements for synthetic antioxidant food additives.