On the antioxidant mechanism of curcumin: classical methods are needed to determine antioxidant mechanism and activity.
[reaction: see structure] The antioxidant activity of curcumin (1, 7-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione) was determined by inhibition of controlled initiation of styrene oxidation. Synthetic nonphenolic curcuminoids exhibited no antioxidant activity; therefore, curcumin is a classical phenolic chain-breaking antioxidant, donating H atoms from the phenolic groups not the CH(2) group as has been suggested (Jovanovic et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1999, 121, 9677). The antioxidant activities of o-methoxyphenols are decreased in hydrogen bond accepting media.
Barclay
L R
LR
Department of Chemistry and Advanced Instrumentation Center for Chemical Analysis, Ehime University, Matsuyama, 790-8577 Japan. rbarclay@mta.ca
Vinqvist
M R
MR
Mukai
K
K
Goto
H
H
Hashimoto
Y
Y
Tokunaga
A
A
Uno
H
H
D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D003474:Curcumin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010545:Peroxides / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry; D020058:Styrene / Q000737:chemistry
D000975:Antioxidants; D010545:Peroxides; C049375:perhydroxyl radical; D020058:Styrene; D003474:Curcumin