Scavenging effects of red pigment extracted from edible amaranth on hydroxyl radicals and superoxide anion radicals

Objective To explore the scavenging effects of red pigment extracted from the edible amaranth on hydroxyl radicals and superoxide anion radicals. Methods The ultrasonic method was employed to extract red pigment from the edible amaranth.Hydroxyl radicals and superoxide anions were produced by Fenton reaction and pyrogallol autoxidation reaction,respectively.The scavenging effects of red pigment on ·OH and O-2· were detected by ultraviolet and visible spectrophotometry. Results The hydroxyl radicals and superoxide anions were scavenged by edible amaranth red pigment. Conclusion The edible amaranth red pigment is an effective scavenger of oxygen free radicals.