Free radicals are involved in various physiological reactions causing serious cellulardamage often resulting in the complete inactivation of cells. Biomolecules likeproteins, lipids and DNA are damaged, causing a number of degenerative diseases(Valco et al. 2007). The harmful reaction, however, can be prevented by antioxidantsubstances that scavenge the free radicals and detoxify the organism (Tepe et al.2005). Antioxidants may function as free radical scavengers, reducing agents,complexers of pro-oxidant metals and quenchers of the formation of singlet oxygen(Ramadan et al. 2003). A direct relationship has been found between the phenoliccontent and the antioxidant capacity of plants (Cowan 1999; Robards et al. 1999).
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