Biflavonoids from Brazilian pine Araucaria angustifolia as potentials protective agents against DNA damage and lipoperoxidation

Biflavonoids from Araucaria angustifolia were able to protect against DNA damage and lipoperoxidation promoved by reactive species (RNOS). The 1O 2 quenching rate constant using the time-resolved near infrared luminescence technique was also determined. A biflavonoid fraction (BFF) obtained from Araucaria angustifolia needles was effective to quench singlet oxygen ( 1O 2), to protect plasmid DNA against single strand break (ssb) caused by 1O 2 or Fenton reaction and to inhibit Fenton or UV radiation-induced lipoperoxidation in phosphatidylcholine liposomes. The activity of the biflavonoid fraction (BFF) was compared with quercetin, rutin (flavonoids), ginkgetin, amentoflavone (biflavonoids), α-tocopherol and Trolox ®. The BFF displayed a higher quenching rate constant compared to flavonoids and biflavonoids and protected against ssb induced by 1O 2. Although the BFF was not as efficient as either flavonoids, α-tocopherol or Trolox ® in protection against ssb induced by Fenton-reaction or lipoperoxidation, these scavenging properties suggest that BFF is still an excellent candidate for successful employment as an antioxidant and photoprotector.