Contribution of organic acids to α-terpinene antioxidant activity

DPPH scavenging activity and antioxidant activity in canola oil of α-terpinene, BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) and acetic, malic and citric acids and their mixtures were determined to examine the synergistic effect on the antioxidant activity. The results demonstrated that α-terpinene and organic acids had low or any activity against DPPH and BHT showed an IC₅₀ of 0.035 mM. When mixed with organic acids, α-terpinene increased its activity showing a synergistic effect. The mix of α-terpinene (1.58 mM) and citric acid (2.91 mM) showed the higher synergistic effect in DPPH (121.82). BHT scavenging activity was inhibited by organic acids. Although the DPPH scavenging activity was enhanced for α-terpinene and inhibited for BHT by organic acids, the antioxidant activity in canola oil was not. It indicated that the scavenging DPPH activity and antioxidant activity in canola oil of a compound or a mixture of compounds are not always positively correlated with each other.