Involvement of Hydrogen Peroxide Formation on Apoptosis Induction by Olive Oil Phenolic Compounds

In the present investigation the ability of different phenolic compounds, either present or not in olive oil, to induce both apoptosis on tumour cells and H 2 O 2 accumulation in cell culture medium was assesed. Among the phenols studied we found that tyrosol ( p -HPEA), homovanillic alcohol and protocatechuic, o-coumaric, vanillic, homovanillic, ferulic and syringic acids did not induce either apoptosis on HL60 cells or H 2 O 2 accumulation, while hydroxytyrosol (3,4-DHPEA), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (3,4-DHPA), 3,4-dihydroxy-hydrocinnamic acid (3,4-DHHC) and gallic acid induced both apoptosis and accumulation of H 2 O 2 in the culture medium which were significantly reduced by