Free radical reactions and antioxidant activities of sesamol: pulse radiolytic and biochemical studies.

Sesamol (from Sesamum indicum) is a dietary compound, which is soluble in aqueous as well as lipid phases. Free radical scavenging reactions of sesamol, 5-hydroxy-1,3-benzodioxole, have been studied using a nanosecond pulse radiolysis technique. Sesamol efficiently scavenges hydroxyl, one-electron oxidizing, organo-haloperoxyl, lipid peroxyl, and tryptophanyl radicals.