2,2'-Azobis(isobutyronitrile)-derived alkylperoxyl radical scavenging activity assay of hydrophilic antioxidants by employing EPR spin trap method

As interest in the study of antioxidant intake from foods and other agricultural products increases, methods for performing radical scavenging activity assays based on the electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopic method, in which there is no interference from the sample color and turbidity, are required. In this study, we have developed a rapid and simple electron paramagnetic resonance based assay to evaluate the alkylperoxyl radical scavenging activity of several antioxidants. The alkylperoxyl radical species was generated by the photolysis of azo-radical initiator 2,2'-azobis(isobutyronitrile), in which the radical generation rate and period were controlled by the illumination light. The relative alkylperoxyl radical scavenging activity was obtained by a simple formula of competing reaction of antioxidant and spin trap toward the oxygen radical. The scavenging activities toward alkylperoxyl radical and alkoxy radical species were evaluated in six antioxidants. Although quercetin showed the highest activity toward both radicals, the order of the relative activities in the other antioxidants was different mutually between the alkylperoxyl radical and the alkoxyl radical. This alkylperoxyl radical scavenging activity assay based on electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy is useful for evaluation of colored and turbid food samples.