The combined effect of pycnogenol with ascorbic acid and trolox on the oxidation of lipids and proteins.

Pycnogenol (PYC), a procyanidin-rich extract of French maritime pine bark (Pinus pinaster) has strong antioxidant potential and promotes cellular health. The aim of this study was to investigate a possible cooperation of natural antioxidant PYC with synthetic antioxidants ascorbic acid and trolox in the model system of lipid peroxidation determined as conjugated dienes formation in liposomes and on the oxidation of proteins (in BSA and plasma proteins) determined as protein carbonyls. The present study shows that PYC and trolox significantly increased inhibition of lipid peroxidation initiated by copper acetate and tert-butylhydroperoxide in concentration and time dependence compared with untreated unilamellar liposomes. PYC and trolox added simultaneously to the oxidized liposomes exerted an additive preventive effect. PYC s inhibitory effect on formation of carbonyl compounds in BSA and plasma proteins, oxidized by two oxidative systems--H2O2/FeSO4 and HOCl, were studied in co-operation with other synthetic antioxidants--ascorbic acid and trolox. We found the synergistic or additive effect of PYC with mentioned antioxidants.