Classification and antioxidant assays of polyphenols: a review

Polyphenols are widely recognized as the effective antioxidants, which are divided into flavonoids, phenolic acids, stilbenes, lignans, tannins and so on. They could regulate internal functions and protect the body from diseases related to oxidative damage. Due to the fact that their antioxidant capacity is influenced by the structure, stability and bioavailability, the detection of their bioactivity should be considered comprehensively. Currently, the methods for measuring the antioxidant capacity of phenolic compounds are divided into chemical, cell-based and in vivo assays. The chemical assays include 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), ferric…