1-1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and crocin

The aim of the study was to compare the effect of the substituent and its position in the aromatic ring on the antioxidant activity of hexanoic acid esters obtained in reactions catalyzed by immobilized lipase B from

Topics: Antioxidants; Basidiomycota; Biocatalysis; Biphenyl Compounds; Carotenoids; Catalysis; Chromatography, Gas; Esters; Fatty Acids; Free Radicals; Helianthus; Hydroxybenzoates; Oils; Oxidation-Reduction; Oxidative Stress; Oxygen; Picrates; Rapeseed Oil

The major components of gardenia fruits are geniposide and water soluble pigment crocins. In this study, we investigate crocins and geniposide profiles of gardenia fruits from different cultivars and at the various stages of maturation. DPPH scavenging activity of gardenia fruits from different cultivars and at the various stages of fruit maturation was also assayed. Quantitative determination of crocins in the gardenia at the various stages of maturation revealed a significant increase when ripening. However, geniposide content was negatively correlated with ripening stages. A significant difference was observed when comparing crocin content of different gardenia from various cultivars and geniposide content also showed marked variety. Current study indicated no relationship between crocin and geniposide content in gardenia fruits at the various stages of maturation and DPPH radical scavenging activity. Data showed that, although crocins feature markedly less DPPH scavenging activity than gardenia ethanol extract, total crocin content of gardenias collected in various cultivars correlate, to a certain degree, with radical scavenging effects of the Chinese traditional medicine (r=0.75).

Topics: Antioxidants; Biphenyl Compounds; Carotenoids; Free Radical Scavengers; Fruit; Gardenia; Genotype; Iridoids; Molecular Structure; Picrates; Plant Extracts

The antioxidant activity of 12 aqueous commercial smoke flavorings used in the food industry was determined by two methods: bleaching of the carotenoid crocin and scavenging of the DPPH radical. The reaction with the DPPH radical was evaluated by calculating the effective concentration (EC50) and the antiradical efficiency (AE). A gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method was, moreover, used for the determination of 2-methoxyphenols, 2,6-dimethoxyphenols, and dihydroxybenzenes. The methoxyphenols were extracted from the aqueous smoke by dichloromethane, and also the residue aqueous phase was analyzed to determine the more water-soluble dihydroxybenzenes. The recovery and the repeatability of the method are reported. The total phenolic concentrations of the smoke flavorings showed a wide range, from about 1000 to 25000 mg/kg. Considering the three classes of compounds, the concentrations were about 300-3000 mg/kg for the 2-methoxyphenols, 200-11000 mg/kg for the 2,6-dimethoxyphenols, and 140-10000 mg/kg for the dihydroxybenzenes. The range of the antioxidant activities of the smoke flavorings was wide, reflecting the wide range of the phenolic concentrations. Good correlations were obtained between the total phenolic concentration and the antioxidant activities determined by both the DPPH and crocin assays.

Topics: Antioxidants; Biphenyl Compounds; Carotenoids; Flavoring Agents; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Phenols; Picrates; Reproducibility of Results; Smoke; Water

The methanol extract from the bark of Yucca periculosa F. Baker afforded 4,4'-dihydroxstilbene, resveratrol and 3,3',5,5'-tetrahydroxy-4-methoxystilbene and had growth regulatory activity against the Fall Army worm (Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith, Lepidoptera:Noctuidae) an insect pest of corn. The most active compound was 3,3',5,5'-tetrahydroxy-4-methoxystilbene which had significant effects at 3 microg/g in diets. In addition to the inhibitory activity on bleaching of crocin induced by alkoxyl radicals, these compounds also demonstrated scavenging properties toward 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl in TLC autographic and spectrophotometric assays. Our results indicate that these compounds could be involved in interference of sclerotization and moulting. These compounds appear to have selective effects on the pre-emergence metabolism of the insect. The results were fully comparable to known natural insect growth inhibitors such as gedunin and Cedrela extracts and have had a possible role as natural insecticidal agents.

Topics: Animals; Antioxidants; Azadirachta; Biological Assay; Biphenyl Compounds; Carotenoids; Cedrela; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Free Radicals; Larva; Lepidoptera; Limonins; Pest Control, Biological; Picrates; Plant Bark; Plant Extracts; Pupa; Spodoptera; Stilbenes; Yucca

The pro-oxidant activity of potent oxidants and foods was determined using the kinetic analysis of crocin bleaching. In its reduced form, crocin has an absorption band at 443 nm, which disappears upon oxidation by a generic radical species. Hydroxyl radicals generated by hydrogen peroxide, peroxyl radicals from ABAP, and the stable free radical DPPH(*) were allowed to react with crocin in an aqueous solution at 40 degrees C. Pro-oxidant activity was taken as the ratio between the decrease in crocin absorbance at 5 min and the relevant oxidant concentration. The test proposed was used to evaluate the pro-oxidant activity of widely consumed foods such as pasteurized skim milk and bread. They both exerted significant pro-oxidant activities, which were attributed to the early nonenzymatic browning products formed upon heat treatment.

Topics: Amidines; Animals; Bepridil; Biphenyl Compounds; Bread; Carotenoids; Chemical Phenomena; Chemistry, Physical; Food; Hydrogen Peroxide; Hydroxyl Radical; Kinetics; Milk; Oxidants; Oxidation-Reduction; Peroxides; Picrates; Solutions; Water