Measurement of Antioxidant Activity of Wine Catechins, Procyanidins, Anthocyanins and Pyranoanthocyanins

Nowadays, there is considerable interest in finding out about antioxidants that are consumed in the habitual diet. It is known that polyphenols are involved in reducing the risk of diseases associated with oxidative stress. The in vitro antioxidant activity of the principal wine polyphenolic compounds (catechins, procyanidins, anthocyanins and pyranoanthocyanins) was studied in this work. Four distinct methods were used to assess the antioxidant capacity of the tested compounds: inhibition of peroxynitrite mediated tyrosine nitration, TEAC (Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity assay), FRAP (Ferric reducing/antioxidant power assay) and TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) methods. In general, it could be concluded that procyanidins were, among the in vitro tested groups, the ones which showed more antioxidant capacity using the four different methods, followed by anthocyanins and pyranoanthocyanins. On the basis of the simple regression testing, there was a statistically significant relationship between these different methods used in aqueous phase (r > 0.92). However, no correlation was found between the results obtained in lipid media with the TBARS method and those obtained in the aqueous media (peroxynitrite scavenging activity, TEAC and FRAP methods). Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2007, 8 798