Biflavonoids from Brazilian pine Araucaria angustifolia as potentials protective agents against DNA damage and lipoperoxidation

A biflavonoid fraction (BFF) obtained from Araucaria angustifolia needles was effective to quench singlet oxygen (O-1(2)), to protect plasmid DNA against single strand break (ssb) caused by O-1(2) or Fenton reaction and to inhibit Fenton or UV radiation-induced lipoperoxidation in phosphatidylcholine liposomes. The activity of the biflavonoid fraction (BFF) was compared with quercetin, rutin (flavonoids), ginkgetin, amentoflavone (biflavonoids), alpha-tocopherol and Trolox (R). The BFF displayed a higher quenching rate constant compared to flavonoids and biflavonoids and protected against ssb induced by O-1(2). Although the BFF was not as efficient as either flavonoids, alpha-tocopherol or Trolox (R) in protection against ssb induced by Fenton-reaction or lipoperoxidation, these scavenging properties suggest that BFF is still an excellent candidate for successful employment as an antioxidant and photoprotector. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.