THE ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF GENISTEIN IN-VITRO

Genistein, a flavonoid isolated from soy beans, has been studied with respect to its antioxidative characteristics. The material proved to be effective against UVA and UVB or peroxyl radical-induced lipid peroxidation in liposomes. Genistein was however ineffective in preventing conjugated diene formation in linoleic acid micelles. Other peroxidative systems involving hydrogen peroxide, such as metmyoglobin peroxidase activity and Fel ascorbate/hydrogen peroxide oxidation of liposomes, were inhibited by genistein. As measured by catechol decolorization, genistein did not appear to chelate iron. Genistein removed hydrogen peroxide efficiently when phenol red was coupled with peroxidase; however, when o-dianisidine was used as the color reagent there was no apparent loss of hydrogen peroxide, possibly due to oxidation of the dye by the product of genistein and hydrogen peroxide, This study provides further evidence that genistein is an effective scavenger of hydrogen peroxide but is less effective against other peroxidative systems.