In the first part of this work the influence of alpha-tocopherol, ascorbic acid, caffeic acid, and different flavonoids on the copper-mediated LDL-Oxidation was tested. The kinetics of lipidperoxiation were assessed by conjugated diene formation. The fragmentation of the apolipoprotein B during LDL-Oxidation was measured by tryptophan loss and protein carbonyl content. The phenolic acids showed higher antioxidant activity than alpha-tocopherol or ascorbic acid. Quercetin had the highest antioxidant activity followed by epicatechin and caffeic acid. When combinations of two antioxidants were tested, the combination of quercetin and caffeic acid was most effective by prolonging the lag-phase of LDL by 244 %. In the second part of this work, the content of alpha -tocopherol, quercetin, and caffeic acid in different LDL-preparations was measured. Therefore LDL was incubated with the different compounds (single compounds or combinations) and the oxidation was started by adding copper ions. Then concentrations of the antioxidants were measured at different times by HPLC. Quercetin was consumed at first (3-16 % after five minutes). alpha-tocopherol was consumed slower than quercetin, after five minutes 26-44 % were remaining. After five minutes 90-100 % of caffeic acid could still be measured. In the third part, the synergistic antioxidant activity of quercetin and caffeic acid, observed in the first part, was investigated more closely. Therefore the antioxidant activity of quercetin, caffeic acid, and structurally related compounds (dopamine, p-cumaric acid, kaempferol) was evaluated by measuring the inhibition of copper-mediated LDL-oxidation. The incubation of LDL with kaempferol (prolonging the lag-phase by 286 %), p-cumaric acid (2 %), or dopamine (606 %) showed lower antioxidant activities than incubation with quercetin (1053 %) or caffeic acid (730 %). Synergistic interactions were only found, when LDL was incubated with quercetin and caffeic acid. This effect was higher than the sum of the individual effects. In part four the antioxidant activity of different caffeic acid derivatives, that can be found in urine after consumption of coffee, was tested. Ferulic acid showed prooxidant as well as antioxidant activity, depending on the Concentration used. Concentrations lower than the copper concentration seem to enhance prooxidative reactions; is the concentration of ferulic acid higher than the copper concentration, antioxidant activity can be observed. Isoferulic acid and dihydroferulic acid showed prooxidant activity, and o-hydroxyhippuric acid had antioxidant activity. In part five of the study the effect of zinc histidine, histidine, and zinc sulphate on copper-mediated LDL-oxidation was tested. Therefore LDL was incubated with zinc histidine, histidine, and zinc sulphate and the increase of conjugated diene was was measured. Zinc sulphate showed no activity, whereas zinc histidine and histidine exerted antioxidant activity. In the diet and the organism, antioxidants can be found in complexe mixtures. The results showed combinative effects of different antioxidants in vitro and could provide a better understanding of the antioxidant interactions in vivo.
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In the first part of this work the influence of alpha-tocopherol, ascorbic acid, caffeic acid, and different flavonoids on the copper-mediated LDL-Oxidation was tested. The kinetics of lipidperoxiation were assessed by conjugated diene formation. The fragmentation of the apolipoprotein B during LDL-Oxidation was measured by tryptophan loss and protein carbonyl content. The phenolic acids showed higher antioxidant activity than alpha-tocopherol or ascorbic acid. Quercetin had the highest antioxid...
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