Stopped-flow kinetic study of the aroxyl radical-scavenging action of catechins and vitamin C in ethanol and micellar solutions.

Kinetic study of the aroxyl radical-scavenging action of catechins (epicatechin (EC), epicatechin gallate (ECG), epigallocatechin (EGC), and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) and related compounds (methyl gallate (MG), 4-methylcatechol (MC), and 5-methoxyresorcinol (MR)) has been performed. The second-order rate constant ( k s) for the reaction of these antioxidants with aroxyl radical has been measured in ethanol and aqueous Triton X-100 micellar solution (5.0 wt %).

Structure-activity relationship of the tocopherol-regeneration reaction by catechins.

The reaction rates (k(r)) of 5,7-diisopropyl-tocopheroxyl radical (Toc) with catechins (epicatechin (EC), epicatechin gallate (ECG), epigallocatechin (EGC), epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) and related compounds (methyl gallate (MG), 4-methylcatechol (MC), and 5-methoxyresorcinol (MR)) have been measured by stopped-flow spectrophotometer. The k(r) values increased in the order of MR < < MG < EC < MC approximately ECG < EGC < EGCG in ethanol and 2-propanol/H(2)O (5/1, v/v) solutions, indicating that the reactivity of the OH groups in catechins increased in the order of resorcinol A-ring < < gallate G-ring < catechol B-ring < pyrogallol B-ring. The catechins which have lower oxidation potentials show higher reactivities.