Consumption of quercetin and rutin in reactions with free radicals

The consumption of flavonols quercetin and rutin in reactions with various free radicals has been studied in homogeneous solutions and in micellar systems of cetyl trimethylammonium chloride by UV spectrophotometry. Free radicals were produced by azoinitiators AAPH and AIBN decomposition in water and in organic medium, respectively. Both quercetin and rutin were used as free radical acceptors to determine the rates of free radical formation in the decomposition of cumene hydroperoxide (ROOH) and hydroperoxides derived from sunflower oil oxidation (LOOH) catalyzed by cetyl trimethylammonium chloride in organic and water media. It was found that apparent rutin consumption rates are 4 -10 times lower than quercetin consumption rates under the same conditions. The ratio of free radical initiation rate to that of flavonol consumption and the stoichiometric factors for quercetin and rutin are discussed.