Antioxidant action of novel derivatives of the apple-derived flavonoid phloridzin compared to oestrogen: relevance to potential cardioprotective action.

Novel derivatives of the apple-derived flavonoid phloridzin have been found to be potent antioxidants in vitro [I] . The antioxidant action of oestrogens such as 17 P-oestradiol may contribute to their cardioprotective effects [2]. Phloretin the aglycone form of phloridzin has been reported to be oestrogenic [3] and its 3-hydroxy derivative may have enhanced weak oestrogen activity that could enable it to act in a similar cardioprotective manner to the antioxidant antioestrogenlweak oestrogen drug tamoxifen [4]. We have compared the potency of phloridzin and its derivatives as inhibitors of liposomal and microsomal lipid peroxidation to that of 17 P-oestradiol, and their potential as antioxidantloestrogenic cardioprotective agents is discussed.