Investigating the Antioxidant Strength and Mechanism of action of Polyphenolic Compounds Taxifolin, Morin and Curcumin

Oxidative stress is a phenomenon that results from the overproduction of reactive oxygen species and has a destructive effect on the natural function of enzymes, body proteins, cells and even organs in an organism. Previous studies by many researchers have shown the use of natural and predominantly herbal compounds such as polyphenols, as a safe way to inhibit the destructive effects of oxidative stress. The non-enzymatic mechanism of action of these antioxidant compounds is mainly attributed to the hydroxyl groups attached to the benzene or aromatic rings through which hydrogen atoms are donated to free radicals, leading to the scavenging and neutralization of the negative effects of the reactive oxygen species. In this paper, the antioxidant strength of three polyphenolic compounds, including taxifolin, morin and curcumin has been studied at a relatively low concentration, using DPPH, a chemical compound as a free radical. The H4 ELISA fluorescence reader, Excel, OriginLab, Graph Pad Prism and ACD/ChemSketch softwares were used in this study. The results revealed that taxifolin had the highest antioxidant strength followed by curcumin and morin. Taxifolin's greatest antioxidant strength can be related to the presence of a number of hydroxyl groups attached to the phenolic rings, the oxygen atoms attached to the heterocyclic ring (C ring), and the spatial decoration of hydrogen atoms. In conclusion, the results from this study, emphasizes more than ever, on the consumption of nutritious plant products, such as citrus fruits and nuts, as well as the spices recommended in traditional medicine, such as turmeric.