Free Radical-Scavenging Effect of a Designed Antioxidant Drink: An Electron Spin Resonance Study

Abstract

The designed antioxidant drink β-CATECHIN includes ascorbic acid, tea ext., dunaliella carotene, and vitamin E. β-CATECHIN scavenges free radicals and singlet oxygen and inhibits lipid peroxidn. Administration of β-CATECHIN drink for 4 wk decreased lipid peroxide levels in the cortex and hippocampus of rat brain but did not affect levels in the liver, kidney, and serum. It also increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the liver of rat. In the iron-induced epileptic model of rat brain, β-CATECHIN drink inhibited elevated lipid peroxide formation and prevented the decrease of SOD activity in the cortex. β-CATECHIN drink may be a prophylactic food for neurol. diseases related to aging involving free radicals. [on SciFinder(R)]