Antioxidant activities of curcumin,

demethoxycurcumin and
bisdemethoxycurcumin

G.K. Jayaprakasha, L. Jaganmohan

Rao, and K.K. Sakariah
Central Food Technological Research
Institute, India
29 August 2005
 Objective

Knowing antioxidant capacities

and activities of curcumin,
bisdemethoxycurcumin and
demethoxycurcumin, using the
phosphomolybdenum and
linoleic acid peroxidation
methods.
 Materials and Methods

• Materials
→ All solvents and other
chemicals used were of
analytical grade. Linoleic acid,
Tween-40, and butylated
hydroxytoluene.
• Methods
1.Isolation and purification of
curcuminoids.
2.Antioxidant capacity by
phosphomolybdenum method.
3.Antioxidant activity by linoleic acid
peroxidation method → were
determined using the thiocyanate
method.
 Results and Discussion
• The antioxidant capacities of curcuminoids were
found to decrease in the order:
curcumin>demethoxycurcumin>bisdemethoxycurcu
min.
• Antioxidant capacity of curcumin: 3099 ± 66,
demethoxycurcumin: 2833 ± 25 and
bisdemethoxycurcumin: 2677 ± 30 μmol/g of
ascorbic acid equivalents at 50 ppm concentration,
respectively.
• The antioxidant activities of the curcumin: 81.98%,
demethoxycurcumin: 81.77% and
bisdemethoxycurcumin: 73% comparison with
butylated hydroxyl toluene (BHT), at 100 ppm.
 Conclusion

Demethoxycurcumin and
bisdemethoxycurcumin from CRTO/STO
are also good antioxidants, along with
curcumin. It may be suggested that these
three compounds could be used in food
systems to increase the shelf-life.