Polyphenol binding and antioxidant effectiveness of hydroxycinnamic acids

Atherosclerosis is one of the most harmful attributes of cardiovascular disease. This condition commonly occurs when LDL/VLDL is oxidized by free radicals within our body. In order to combat the deleterious effects, the oxidation process must be eradicated. One way to prevent the harmful effects of free radical oxidation is from the presence of antioxidants, particularly polyphenols, found in certain foods. In this research hydroxycinnamic acids, a type of polyphenol, were experimented for antioxidant effectiveness and binding affinity to LDL/VLDL. The results indicated that the polyphenols with more phenol groups outperformed those that had less. Furthermore, the metabolites of the parent compound also had profound effects on their free radical scavenging ability. For example, the positioning of the methylated group on the polyphenol metabolite of ferulic acid made it almost 27 times more effective in antioxidant potential than its constitutional isomer isoferulic acid. The glucuronidated metabolite also outperformed its parent compound. In regards to the binding, polarity seemed to be a driving factor, the more polar the compound the more likely it bound to LDL/VLDL. The glucuronidated coumaric acid and caffeic acid bound best, while the methylated compounds had less binding. Although this research is rudimentary, it provides a possible explanation on how diet effects the susceptibility of developing cardiovascular disease. Indeed, healthy eating of foods rich in hydroycinnamic antioxidants may contribute to a decrease in oxidation of free radicals and certain forms of heart disease