Antioxidant Properties of Carboxymethyl Glucan: Comparative Analysis

Abstract

Antioxidative capabilities of carboxymethylated (1 --> 3)-beta-D-glucan from Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell wall, alpha-tocopherol, and mannitol against lipid peroxidation in phosphatidylcholine liposomes induced by OH. radicals produced with Fenton's reagent (H(2)O(2)/Fe(2+)) were studied using absorption ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry. It was found that (1 --> 3)-beta-D-glucan is an antioxidant with the scavenging ability lying between that of alpha-tocopherol, which is known to be incorporated in the lipid bilayer, and the water-soluble antioxidant, mannitol.