A mitochondria-based method for the determination of antioxidant activities using 2′,7′‐dichlorofluorescin diacetate oxidation

Abstract This paper reports a physiologically relevant and rapid mitochondria-based assay for assessing antioxidant properties of pure compounds and herb extracts. The principle of this method is antioxidants can scavenge peroxyl radicals generated in mitochondria thus to inhibit 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescin diacetate oxidation. Ascorbic acid, chlorogenic acid and berberine showed a dose-dependent antioxidative capacity; interestingly, lutein, Rehmannia glutinosa and Scrophularia ningpoensi exhibited pro-antioxidant properties. The antioxidant properties of herb extracts obtained by this method are in good agreement with the results measured by cell-based assay ( r  = 0.931, p