Antioxidant activity of oleuropein and semisynthetic acetyl-derivatives determined by measuring malondialdehyde in rat brain

Objectives The purpose of this study was the evaluation of the antioxidant activity of natural and semisynthetic polyphenol derivatives from Olea europea L., by assessing malondialdehyde (MDA), an important marker of oxidative stress. Methods Polyphenol as hydroxytyrosol, oleuropein, oleuropein aglycone as mix of four tautomeric forms and their respective acetyl-derivatives were obtained from olive leaves using semisynthetic protocols. These compounds were administered intraperitoneally to Wistar rats treated with paraquat, an herbicide which is able to cause oxidative stress after central administration. Malondialdehyde was derivatized with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine to produce hydrazone that was purified by solid-phase extraction. Using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a diode array, free and total MDA was measured on homogenate rat brain as marker of lipid peroxidation. The analytical method was fully validated and showed linearity in the tested concentration range, with detection limit of 5 ng/ml. Recovery ranged from 94.1 to 105.8%. Key findings Both natural and semisynthetic polyphenol derivatives from a natural source as olive leaves were able to reduce MDA detection. The more lipophilic acetyl-derivatives showed an antioxidant activity greater than parent compounds. This potency seems to put in evidence a strict correlation between lipophilicity and bioavailability.