The autoxidation of thiol aminoacids and ascorbate and their cooperative effects as antioxidants with trolox in micelles and lipid bilayers

Mechanism of thiyl radical-catalyzed isomerization of unsaturated fatty acid residues in homogeneous solution and in liposomes

NMR spectroscopy and gas chromatography were used on methanolic solutions of fatty acid methyl esters and on small bilayer liposomes to study the radical-induced denaturation of the fatty acid residues from the natural cis-configuration into trans-isomers. To analyze the mechanism of the thiyl radical-catalyzed lipid isomerization, we compared the effects of thiols on oleic and linoleic fatty acid residues using pulse radiolysis, gamma-radiolysis and chemolysis (AAPH) to generate thiyl radicals. The isomerization step takes place within the adduct of the thiyl radical to an olefinic group of unsaturated fatty acids, but not within the pentadienyl radical. The stability of the adduct can be described by an equilibrium constant of (12+/-5) mol(-1) dm(3). The isomerization rate depends on the structure of the thiol. However, the resulting isomeric equilibrium (trans-fraction: 81%) does not depend on the structure of the thiyl radical or the organization of the lipids. Quantum chemical calculations were performed to estimate the barriers for rotation, the geometry and the enthalpy difference between cis- and trans-thiyl radical adducts.

Article

The antioxidant activities, kinh, of catechol, 1, 4-tert-butylcatechol, 2, and 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol (DTBC), 3, determined by the inhibited oxygen-uptake method during peroxidation of styrene initiated by AIBN are 55.0 x 104, 88.4 x 104, and 149 x 104M-1s-1, respectively, and the stoichiometric factors (n) were 2.1-2.3. A decrease by 50-fold in kinhfor 3 and a drop of 1.1-1.4 in n observed during inhibited peroxidation of methyl linoleate in aqueous sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) initiated by di-tert-butylhyponitrile (DBHN) is attributed to hydrogen bonding by water on the antioxidant and on the intermediate di-tert-butylsemiquinone radical, 5, formed in the inhibition step. Combinations of ascorbyl palmitate with 3 exhibited cooperative (not synergistic) antioxidant effects during inhibited peroxidation of styrene in solution. Combinations of ascorbic acid with 3 exhibited synergistic effects during inhibited peroxidation of methyl linoleate initiated by DBHN in SDS micelles. A profile of the effect of concentration of ascorbate on this synergism indicates a mole of 3 is regenerated per mole of ascorbate. The thiols, homocysteine, and polyethylene glycol thiol (polythiol) also exhibited synergistic effects with DTBC in this inhibition. Either ascorbate or polythiol rapidly reduces di-tert-butyl-ortho-quinone (DTBQ), 4, to 3 in methanol or in SDS micelles, and the combination of 3 + ascorbate acted as an efficient inhibitor in this medium. The esr studies indicate the semiquinone radical, 5, produced photochemically from 3 or spontaneously from 3 + 4 in solution, to be very persistent at room temperature. A pathway, mediated by 5, is proposed to account for the cooperative and synergistic effects observed and for the additional combination effect discovered when the three inhibitors: 3, ascorbate, and a thiol are used in the SDS medium. Combinations of such antioxidants are expected to be useful for inhibition of yellowing of pulps and paper with high lignin content, and to be significant in the in vivo reductions of ortho-quinones and semiquinone radicals formed during oxidations of various biomolecules.Key words: catechols, ascorbate, thiols, radicals, antioxidants.