Antioxidant activity of propofol and related monomeric and dimeric compounds.

This study was carried out to investigate the antioxidant activity of propofol (2,6-diisopropylphenol) and its related compounds, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), 2,6-dimethylphenol, 2,6-di-t-butylphenol, and their dimeric compounds. The degree of antioxidant activity was evaluated based on the degree of peroxidation induced with Fe-ascorbic acid in egg phosphatidylcholine through the determination of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) formed during peroxidation. Their antioxidant activities were in the order of dipropofol>di(2,6-di-t-butylphenol)>diBHA>di(2,6-dimethylphenol). Dipropofol, a dimeric compound of propofol, showed the highest antioxidant activities. Dimeric compounds had higher activities than monomeric compounds, and the 1,1-diphenyl-p-picryhydrazyl-trapping ability of dimeric compounds was also greater than those of monomeric compounds (4-10-fold). These results suggest that dimeric phenols may increase their antioxidant activities along with increments in the conjugation system and play a inhibitory role in the propagation of free radical chain reactions.