Spectroscopic Study on the Riboflavin - Plant Extracts Interaction

Free radical induced lipid oxidation in human bodies has been related to the pathological process of many diseases, such as cardiovascular disease [1, 2], some cancerous disorders and diabetics [3]. The investigation on biological antioxidants has attracted great attention in the last decades, from both the scientific community and the general interest. It is well known that vegetable tissues contain several substances having antioxidant properties due to the phenolic compounds (antocyaninis, flavanols, flavonols, isoflavones, flavan-3-ols and hidroxycinamic acids). Antioxidant activity of polyphenols from plants is based on their radical-scavenging capacity and on the capacity to chelate transition metals ions. Fruits, vegetables and cereals have been explored due to their high abundance in the human diet and due to the prevention of various diseases as cancer and cardiovascular diseases [4, 5]. The plants are often used as alternative herbal treatments as astringent, antiseptic, tonic, antiinflammation, etc. Nowadays, people are being bombarded with thousand of unhealthy products, the level of sensibility in front of diseases is very high and that is why the use of medicinal plants can represent the best solution. Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), (fig. 1), is one of the most important hydrosoluble vitamins.