The nitrite scavenging and electron donating ability of phenolic compounds

Phenolic compounds are known to inhibit the nitrosation or oxidation reaction. In the present work, the effects of phenolic compounds including phenolic acids and flavonoids on the nitrite-scavenging and electron donating ability were tested as scavenger of nitrite which is believed to participate in the formation of N-nitroso compounds and investigated as electron donator. The nitrite scavenging ability appeared in all the phenolic acids and showed the highest value at PH 1.2. Among the Phenolic compounds, phenolic acids showed higher nitrite-scavenging action than some flavonoids. Futhermore, the nitrite scavenging action of phenolic compounds was pH dependent highest at pH 1.2 and lowest at pH 6.0. The electron donating ability (EDA) by reduction of -diphenyl--picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) among hydroxybenzoic acids was in the decreasing order of gallic acid, gentisic acid, syringic acid, protocatechuic acid, salicylic acid, vanillic acid, benzoic acid and p-hydroxybenzoic acid. EDA of hydroxycinnamic acids was in the decreasing order of hydrocaffeic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid and trans-cinnamic acid. EDA of flavonoids was in the decreasing order of (+)catechin, rutin, quercetin, naringin and hesperidin. Other phenolic compounds were significantly high in electron donating abilities.