INQUINOA   21218
INSTITUTO DE QUIMICA DEL NOROESTE
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
Anthocyanins: colorful flavonoids and potent singlet oxygen quenchers
Autor/es:
V. V. DE ROSSO; F. E. MORÁN VIEYRA; A. Z. MERCADANTE; C. D. BORSARELLI
Lugar:
Helsinki, Finlandia
Reunión:
Congreso; 5th INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON PIGMENTS IN FOOD; 2008
Institución organizadora:
Universidad de Helsinki
Resumen:
Anthocyanins are natural flavonoid pigments, widely distributed in vegetables, fruits, grains, and flowers, which color varies from red to blue, depending on the structure and environmental conditions. Epidemiological studies have shown that increased ingestion of vegetables and fruits containing natural polyphenolic antioxidants are correlated to decreased prevalence of several chronic-degenerative diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, etc (1). The mechanisms of antioxidant action can include suppression of reactive species formation either by inhibition of enzymes or by chelation of trace elements involved in free radical production, scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS), quenching of singlet oxygen (1O2) , and up-regulating or protecting antioxidant defense. Anthocyanins have shown good performance as scavengers of several radical and neutral oxidizing species. However, the interaction of 1O2 with anthocyanins has not received much attention, being this reactive oxygen species generated intracellularly through different biological processes and they can produce severe biological damages in certain conditions (2). Despite that most anthocyanins are found in food and vegetables in its colorful flavylium cation, their reactivity towards 1O2 is not yet available. Therefore, the goal of this study is to determine for the first time the bimolecular rate constants for the quenching of 1O2 by six widespread anthocyanins in their red flavylium cation form that is stable in acidic media, e.g. in 1% HCl methanol solutions.