Abstract
The use of myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) as a culinary spice and as a flavoring agent for alcoholic beverages is widespread in the Mediterranean area, and especially in Sardinia. Myrtle contains unique oligomeric non-prenylated acylphloroglucinols, whose antioxidant activity was investigated in various systems. Both semimyrtucommulone (1) and myrtucommulone A (2) showed powerful antioxidant properties, protecting linoleic acid against free radical attack in simple in vitro systems, inhibiting its autoxidation and its FeCl3- and EDTA-mediated oxidation. While both compounds lacked pro-oxidant activity, semimyrtucommulone was more powerful than myrtucommulone A, and was further evaluated in rat liver homogenates for activity against lipid peroxidation induced by ferric-nitrilotriacetate, and in cell cultures for cytotoxicity and the inhibition of TBH- or FeCl3-induced oxidation. The results of these studies established semimyrtucommulone as a novel dietary antioxidant lead.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1013-9 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | FREE RADICAL RESEARCH |
| Volume | 37 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| Publication status | Published - Sept 2003 |
Keywords
- Animals
- Antioxidants
- Cells, Cultured
- Fibroblasts
- Free Radicals
- Humans
- Lipid Peroxidation
- Liver
- Myrtus
- Oxidation-Reduction
- Phloroglucinol