Ferulic acid (FA) is used in skin formulations for protection against the damaging actions of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by UVA radiation. Possible underlying protective mechanisms are not fully elucidated. By considering the kinetics of proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) and radical-radical coupling (RRC) mechanisms, it appears that direct scavenging could be operative, providing that a high local concentration of FA is present at the place of ^•OH generation. The resulting FA phenoxyl radical, after the scavenging of a second ^•OH and keto-enol tautomerization of the intermediate, produces 5-hydroxyferulic acid (5OHFA). Inhibition of the lipoxygenase (LOX) enzyme, one of the enzymes that catalyse free radical production, by FA and 5OHFA were analysed. Results of molecular docking calculations indicate favourable binding interactions of FA and 5OHFA with the LOX active site. The exergonicity of chelation reactions of the catalytic Fe²⁺ ion with FA and 5OHFA indicate the potency of these chelators to prevent the formation of ^•OH radicals via Fenton-like reactions. The inhibition of the prooxidant LOX enzyme could be more relevant mechanism of skin protection against UVA induced oxidative stress than iron chelation and assumed direct scavenging of ROS.

In this study, the antioxidant and prooxidant potency of protocatechuic aldehyde (PCA) was evaluated using density functional theory (DFT). The potency of direct scavenging of hydroperoxyl (HOO^•) and lipid peroxyl radicals (modeled by vinyl peroxyl, H₂C=CHOO^•) involved in lipid peroxidation was estimated. The repair of oxidative damage in biomolecules (lipids, proteins and nucleic acids) and the prooxidant ability of PCA phenoxyl radicals were considered. The repairing potency of PCA was investigated for damaged tryptophan, cysteine, leucine, DNA base guanine and linolenic acid. The thermodynamics and kinetics of the single electron transfer (SET) and formal hydrogen atom transfer (fHAT) mechanisms underlying the studied processes were investigated under physiological conditions in aqueous and lipid environments using the SMD/M06-2X/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory. Sequestration of catalytic Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ ions by PCA, which prevents HO^• production via Fenton-like reactions, was modeled. Molecular docking was used to study the inhibitory capability of PCA against xanthine oxidase (XO), one of the enzymes producing reactive oxygen species. The attained results show that PCA has the capability to scavenge lipid peroxyl radicals, repair damaged tryptophan, leucine and guanine, chelate catalytic iron ions and inhibit XO. Thus, PCA could be considered a possible multifunctional antioxidant.

Reaction kinetics have been theoretically examined to ascertain the potency of quercetin (Q) and flavonoid catecholic metabolites 1–5 in the inactivation of HOO^•, CH₃OO^•, and O₂^•− under physiological conditions. In lipidic media, the $k_{\mathrm{overall}}^{\mathrm{TST}/\mathrm{Eck}}$ rate constants for the proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) mechanism indicate the catecholic moiety of Q and 1–5 as the most important in HOO^• and CH₃OO^• scavenging. 5-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)-γ-valerolactone (1) and alphitonin (5) are the most potent scavengers of HOO^• and CH₃OO^•, respectively. The $k_{\mathrm{overall}}^{\mathrm{Mf}}$ rate constants, representing actual behavior in aqueous media, reveal Q as more potent in the inactivation of HOO^• and CH₃OO^• via single electron transfer (SET). SET from 3-O⁻ phenoxide anion of Q, a structural motif absent in 1–5, represents the most contributing reaction path to overall activity. All studied polyphenolics have a potency of O₂^•− inactivation via a concerted two-proton–coupled electron transfer (2PCET) mechanism. The obtained results indicate that metabolites with notable radical scavenging potency, and more bioavailability than ingested flavonoids, may contribute to human health-promoting effects ascribed to parent molecules.

Kinetics and thermodynamics of the phenolic O–H and the C-ring C–H bond breaking in dihydrokaempferol, a natural flavonoid compound, was investigated using a density functional based approach. The rate constants calculated using the variational transition state theory with multidimensional tunneling corrections indicate 4′-OH phenolic hydrogen as operative in the inactivation of a hydroperoxyl radical (˙OOH). The proton coupled electron transfer (PCET) mechanism appears as preferred in O–H bond breaking by ˙OOH, while the hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) mechanism is involved in the C–H bond cleavage. Comparison of the antioxidant potency of dihydrokaempferol vs. kaempferol proves the superiority of the latter and the negligible role of the C-ring hydrogens of dihydrokaempferol in radical scavenging. The obtained results confirm the traditional view that O–H groups of polyphenols are responsible for radical inactivation contrary to recent proposals that the aliphatic C-ring hydrogens also contribute to this activity.

To ascertain quercetin’s and rooperol’s potency of H-atom donation to CH₃OO^• and HOO^•, thermodynamics, kinetics and tunnelling, three forms of chemical reaction control, were theoretically examined. In lipid media, H-atom donation from quercetin’s catecholic OH groups via the proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) mechanism, is more relevant than from C-ring enolic moiety. Amongst rooperol’s two catecholic moieties, H-atom donation from A-ring OH groups is favored. Allylic hydrogens of rooperol are poorly abstractable via the hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) mechanism. Kinetic analysis including tunnelling enables a more reliable prediction of the H-atom donation potency of quercetin and rooperol, avoiding the pitfalls of a solely thermodynamic approach. Obtained results contradict the increasing number of misleading statements about the high impact of C–H bond breaking on polyphenols’ antioxidant potency. In an aqueous environment at pH = 7.4, the 3-O⁻ phenoxide anion of quercetin and rooperol’s 4′-O⁻ phenoxide anion are preferred sites for CH₃OO^• and HOO^• inactivation via the single electron transfer (SET) mechanism.