Chemiluminescence of anthocyanins in the presence of acetaldehyde and <i>tert</i>‐butyl hydroperoxide

Abstract

Light emission (chemiluminescence; CL) was observed in the reaction of anthocyanins with tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BuOOH) in the presence of acetaldehyde. The intensity of the CL of the anthocyanins was in the order of nasunin > rubrobrassicin > delphinidin > malvin = cyanidin > malvidin, indicating that glucosylation at C-3 and C-5 of the anthocyanin skeleton enhances the CL of the parent compound. CL intensity was enhanced at alkaline pH. The results suggest that the antioxidant effect of anthocyanins on lipid peroxidation, which is observed in the linoleic acid-beta-carotene-lipoxygenase system, is at least partly due to their strong reactivity with hydroperoxides.