Antioxidant Mechanisms in Lipid Oxidation Systems
Summary
Lipid oxidation represents a chain of free‐radical reactions that degrades unsaturated fatty acids to yield peroxides, aldehydes and other secondary products. This process compromises food quality, biofuel stability and cellular membranes. Antioxidants intervene by donating hydrogen atoms or electrons, thus quenching lipid radicals and terminating chain propagation. Their modes of action include radical scavenging, metal ion chelation and regeneration of oxidised species. Synthetic phenolic compounds such as butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) have long served as chain-breaking antioxidants, while natural phenolics, flavonoids and essential oils are gaining prominence for their complementary mechanisms and consumer appeal. In vivo, enzymatic systems—glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase—act in concert with low-molecular-weight antioxidants (vitamin E, vitamin C, ubiquinol) to protect lipid membranes. Advances in molecular design aim to improve antioxidant lipophilicity, redox potential and synergistic interactions. Precise analytical methods (oxidative stability index, conjugated diene measurement, radical scavenging assays) provide insight into the kinetics of inhibition and the fate of oxidation products. An integrated understanding of chemical and biological antioxidant pathways is critical to enhance shelf life, ensure nutritional quality and mitigate oxidative stress in health and industry.
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Antioxidant Mechanisms in Lipid Oxidation Systems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in antioxidant mechanisms in lipid oxidation systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Lipid peroxidation: A free-radical chain reaction in unsaturated lipids leading to hydroperoxides and breakdown products.
Chain-breaking antioxidant: A molecule that donates a hydrogen atom to lipid radicals, terminating propagation.
Oxidative Stability Index (OSI): A measure of an oil’s resistance to oxidation under accelerated conditions.
Conjugated dienes: Double-bond structures formed in the early stages of lipid oxidation, detectable spectrophotometrically.
Radical scavenging assay: An analytical test (e.g., DPPH, ABTS) that quantifies the ability of antioxidants to neutralise free radicals.
References
- Synthesis, Characterization and Evaluation of a Novel Tetraphenolic Compound as a Potential Antioxidant. Antioxidants (2023).
- A New Insight into the Evaluation of Used Frying Oils Based on the Kinetics of Chemical Changes during the Process. Foods (2023).
- Evaluation of antioxidant properties of lemon verbena (Lippia citriodora) essential oil and its capacity in sunflower oil stabilization during storage time. Food Science & Nutrition (2018).
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