Anthocyanin effectively scavenges free radicals and protects retinal cells from H2O2-triggered G2/M arrest

• Published in: European food research & technology 2012-03, Vol.234 (3), p.431-439
• Main Authors: Hwang, Jin-Woo, Kim, Eun-Kyung, Lee, Seung-Jae, Kim, Yon-Suk, Choi, Dong-Kug, Park, Tae-Kyu, Moon, Sang-Ho, Jeon, Byong-Tae, Park, Pyo-Jam
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agriculture; Analytical Chemistry; Antioxidants; Apoptosis; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Dementia; Dementia disorders; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; Ethanol; Eye; Eye diseases; Fatigue; Food industries; Food Science; Forestry; Free radicals; Functional foods & nutraceuticals; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hydrogen peroxide; Hydroxyl radicals; Lipid peroxidation; Lipids; Macular degeneration; Night vision; Original Paper; Oxidative stress; Peptides; Peroxidation; Photoreceptors; Retina; Studies; Visual impairment; Vitamin E
• ISSN: 1438-2377; 1438-2385
• DOI: 10.1007/s00217-011-1648-9

It has been previously shown that anthocyanins effectively neutralize free radicals and can act as an antioxidative and anti-aging agent and prevent dementia. In addition, anthocyanins promote expression of rhodopsin, which facilitates night vision impairment, blurred vision, eye fatigue due to physical and mental fatigue, and a loss in rhodopsin has been shown to result from various eye diseases. In this study, the free radical scavenging properties of anthocyanins were evaluated for the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, alkyl radical, and hydroxyl radical using electron spin resonance spectroscopy. The DPPH radical scavenging activity of anthocyanins increased in a dose-dependent manner, with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) value of 2.9 μg/mL. The alkyl radical scavenging activity of anthocyanin was also high, with a IC 50 value of 52.2 μg/mL. In addition, the hydroxyl radical scavenging activity of anthocyanins was concentration-dependent. The inhibitory effect of anthocyanins on lipid peroxidation was examined using the ferric thiocyanate and thiobarbituric acid assays. The inhibitory activity of anthocyanins was found to be comparable to that of Vitamin E. In addition, the ability of anthocyanins to reduce oxidative DNA damage was assessed in vitro by measuring the conversion of supercoiled pBR322 plasmid DNA to the open circular form. Also, we have found that anthocyanins’ inhibitory activity of the H 2 O 2 -induced G2/M phase arrest in ARPE-19 cells. Anthocyanins enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione S-transferase in ARPE-19 cells. Taken together, the present results demonstrate that anthocyanins possess potent antioxidative activity.