Evaluation of polyphenolic acid esters as potential antioxidants

Six polyphenolic acid esters were synthesized and their antioxidative properties were evaluated in three model systems [2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay, 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane)dihydrochloride (AAPH)-induced lipid peroxidation system, and the dye-bleaching assay of peroxynitrite radical]. Among these compounds, we found that compounds 4 [3,4-dihydroxy-benzoic acid-(2-phenoxyethyl ester)], and 5 [3,4-dihydroxy-cinnamic acid-(2-phenoxyethyl ester)] provided comparable activity to caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) in the DPPH model. Compound 3 [2,5-dihydroxy-benzoic acid-(2-phenoxyethyl ester)], was found to be more active than CAPE in the AAPH system, it also displayed about 2-fold greater activity than CAPE in the peroxynitrite radical model. These results suggest that these phenolic acid ester derivatives, with their potent anti-oxidant activities, may have useful applications as antioxidants.