METHODS FOR DETERMINATION OF ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY: A REVIEW

ABSTRACT: Antioxidants have become a vital part of our lives today. Antioxidants help neutralize or destroy “Reactive Oxygen Species ” (ROS) or free radicals before they can damage cells. This paper focuses on types of damaging free radicals generated in metabolic processes and also gives an insight of mechanistic aspect of various in-vitro methods for evaluation of antioxidant capacity of plant metabolites and dietary supplements. The various HAT based, ET based assays and cellular antioxidant capacity assay (CAA) are discussed here. The oxidation induced by Reactive oxygen species (ROS) may result in cell membrane disintegration, membrane protein damage and DNA mutations which play an important role in aging and can further initiate or propagate the development of many diseases, such as arteriosclerosis, cancer, diabetes mellitus, liver injury, inflammation, skin damages, coronary heart diseases and arthritis. INTRODUCTION: The chemical compound