Polyphenol tannic acid inhibits hydroxyl radical formation from Fenton reaction by complexing ferrous ions1This study is dedicated to the memory of Botany Professor Luiz F.G. Labouriau (1921–1996).1

The purpose of this investigation was to establish the relative antioxidant activities in vitro of the flavanolic polyphenols, the catechins, and catechin-gallate esters. The relative antioxidant potentials were measured against radicals generated in the aqueous phase and against propagating lipid peroxyl radicals. The results show that in the aqueous phase their order of effectiveness as radical scavengers is epicatechin gallate (ECG) > epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) > epigallocatechin (EGC) > gallic acid (GA) > epicatechin congruent to catechin; against propagating lipid peroxyl radical species, epicatechin and catechin are as effective as ECG and EGCG, the least efficacious being EGC and GA. This is consistent with their relative abilities to protect against consumption of LDL alpha-tocopherol. The results are discussed in the context of the most relevant antioxidant constituents of green tea extracts.

The cytoprotective effect of three flavonoids, catechin, quercetin and diosmetin, was investigated on iron-loaded hepatocyte cultures, considering two parameters: the prevention of iron-increased lipid peroxidation and the inhibition of intracellular enzyme release. These two criteria of cytoprotection allowed the calculation of mean inhibitory concentrations (IC50) which revealed that the effectiveness of these flavonoids could be classified as follows: catechin > quercetin > diosmetin. These IC50 values have been related to structural characteristics of the flavonoids tested. Moreover, the investigation of the capacity of these flavonoids to remove iron from iron-loaded hepatocytes revealed a good relationship between this iron-chelating ability and the cytoprotective effect. The cytoprotective activity of catechin, quercetin and diosmetin could thus be ascribed to their widely known antiradical property but also to their iron-chelating effectiveness. These findings increase further the prospects for the development and clinical application of these potent antioxidants.