LarchVita™ DHQ (Dihydroquercetin) works on the molecular level as an antioxidant in the biochemistry of oxygen free radicals. These are two categories of antioxidants, depending on whether they prevent the production of free radicals or intercept with the products of free radical reactions. Different antioxidants, enzymes or non-enzymes, can be found in the aqueous and membrane compartments of cells.
This antioxidant exhibits two most fundamental properties of flavonoids: its reducing ability (antioxidant properties by predominant H-atom donation) and its ability to interact with proteins (predominantly by H-atom acceptance) when DHQ binding sites are exposed when protein hydrogen bonds are broken. DHQ-protein interaction in plants is an important issue, for instance, in relation of flavonoid biosynthesis and flavonoid-mediated chemical defense mechanisms.
As an antioxidant, DIHYDROQUERCETIN might be involved in efficiency of electron transfer and sequestration of transition metal ions.
In addition DIHYDROQUERCETIN interferes with peroxides’ activity so that there is no generation of free radicals observed in case of peroxides’ reaction with transition metal ions.
In cell membranes, DIHYDROQUERCETIN acts as a "chain-breaking antioxidant" by intercepting with lipid peroxyl radicals (ROO· or LOO·) that could bring about the termination of lipid peroxidation chain reactions.
The metabolites of lipid peroxidation are used as markers of cellular oxidative stress resulting from the metabolism of xenobiotic compounds. Lipid peroxidation has the potential to affect humans on many levels. The peroxidation of membrane lipids, proteins, and/or nucleic acids can alter the structural dynamics of cell, organelle, and nuclear membranes, which affects cellular homeostasis and, eventually, lead to tissue, organs, and body systems' damage.
Although cells have some capability of repairing oxidative damage to its structural components, the cells' endogenous antioxidant defense system is not always capable of neutralizing the excess damage.
Endogenous lipid-soluble and water-soluble antioxidants protect the cell membranes and cellular organelles from oxidative damage. Yet, insufficiency of some antioxidants may lead to inability of other antioxidants to quench free radicals. Some research shows that glutathione helps regenerate alpha-tocopherol via a so-called free radical reductase. The transient protection by reduced glutathione (GSH) against lipid peroxidation in control liver microsomes is not observed in microsomes deficient in alpha-tocopherol. Introduction of antioxidant flavonoids, such as DIHYDROQUERCETIN, into the deficient microsomes restored the GSH-dependent protection, suggesting that DIHYDROQUERCETIN can take over the role of alpha-tocopherol as a chain-breaking antioxidant in liver microsomal membranes.
Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC), developed by the scientists at the National Institutte of Aging, is a measure of the scavenging capacity of antioxidants against peroxyl radical.
LarchVita™ DIHYDROQUERCETIN was shown to have ORAChydro* 28,000+ µM TE/g*
(Method: ALC114A, AUV203A, AOAC, USP, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2001; 49(10); 4619-4626)
* ORAChydro reflects water-soluble antioxidant capacity. Trolox, a water-soluble Vitamin E analog, is used as the calibration standard and the ORAC result is expressed as micro mole Trolox equivalent (TE) per gram.
Dihydroquercetin (LarchVita™) was shown to be a flavonoid with high Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC).
LarchVita™ DIHYDROQUERCETIN provides minimum 9 CAP-e units per gram.
The CAP-e assay is the dose responsible for 50% inhibition (IC50) of maximal oxidative damage by peroxyl radical generator.
The CAP-e data answers the question of whether the antioxidants are able to enter living cells and protect the cell from oxidation.
The CAP-e assay is qualitative in principal, but does allow for some semi-quantitative comparisons to standards such as Gallic acid, Trolox, Ascorbic acid.
LarchVita™ DHQ IC50 result is <4 g per 1 L or 4 mg per ml – qualitative result.
From quantitative point of view 1 g of DHQ provides 10 units (Gallic acid equivalent) e.g. compared to the IC50 dose of the known antioxidant Gallic Acid (GA).
Dihydroquercetin was also shown to display a strong transition metal ions chelating capacity, thus preventing the reaction of the transition metal with hydrogen peroxide.
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