Antioxidant potential and iron chelating activity of some bioactive compounds

The antioxidant activity and metal chelating potential of s-(+)-carvone,r-(-)-carvone,p- cumenol,cuminyl alcohol,cuminal,4-methoxycumene,p-cymene,gamma-terpinene and thymol were studied using dpph assay,abts assay,frap test,reducing power assay and metal chelating assay. phenols and gamma-terpinene were found to possess excellent antioxidant activity whereas cuminal,cuminyl alcohol and p-cymene showed weak activity. in contrast,the metal chelating assay proved cuminal,r-(-)-carvone,gamma-terpinene and cuminyl alcohol to be superior chelating agents as compared to other compounds and bha. these results represent the first report on the antioxidant and iron chelating activities of r-(-)- carvone,p-cumenol,cuminyl alcohol,cuminal and 4-methoxycumene. the investigated compounds,which are commonly found in essential oils,show the potential to be used as natural antioxidants as well as chelating agents in chelation therapy for patients suffering from iron-overload. © 2015,chemical society of pakistan. all rights reserved.