Antioxidant
Properties
- Luteolin,
constituent of artichoke leaf extract, showed a concentration-dependent
inhibitory activity in several models of oxidative stress. (13)
- The antioxidant
potential of Luteolin, measured in Trolox test, is twice stronger
than that of vitamin E (14,15). Luteolin is
a significantly more potent antioxidant than the synthetic antioxidant
butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), which is generally used in oxygen
sensitive processes (16).
- Luteolin has
strong scavenging properties for superoxide radicals
(20,17) .
- Luteolin is
a potent physical quencher of singlet oxygen (18).
Luteolin inhibits single strand break in DNA induced by singlet
oxygen in a dose-dependent manner. Chromosomal aberrations are probably
one of the causative incidents in the formation of cancer.
- A study assessed
the antioxidant potencies of several dietary flavonoids compared
with vitamin C. Pretreatment with all flavonoids and vitamin C produced
dose-dependent reductions in oxidative DNA damage. When ranked in
order of potency, luteolin was more effective than vitamin C and
seven other flavonoids in reducing DNA oxidative damage.(9)
- Artichoke
leaves were used in tests conducted. While scientists are not certain
how artichoke leaves lower cholesterol, test tube studies have suggested
that the action may be due to an inhibition of cholesterol synthesis
and/or the increased elimination of cholesterol because of the plant's
choleretic action.(9) In test tube studies,
the flavonoids from the artichoke (e.g., luteolin) have been shown
to prevent LDL-cholesterol oxidation--an effect that may reduce
risk of atherosclerosis.(10)
- When ranked
in order of potency, luteolin was more effective than vitamin C
and seven other flavonoids in reducing DNA oxidative damage.
References:
9. Gebhardt R.
New experimental results in the action of artichoke leaf extract.
Zeitschrift fur Allgemeinmed
1996;72:20–3.
10. Brown JE,
Rice-Evans CA. Luteolin rich artichoke extract protects low density
lipoprotein from oxidation in vitro. Free Radical Research 1998;29:247–55.
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