Antioxidant effects of aqueous garlic extract. 1st communication: Direct detection using the photochemiluminescence.

The antioxidant effect of the aqueous extract from the garlic preparation Kwai was investigated using the method of photochemiluminescence. The method is based on the photo-induced, superoxide radical mediated autoxidation of luminol, and allows for the capability of substances to inhibit the free radical processes in this test system to be quantified, and hence for their antioxidant properties in respect of a standard substance (e.g. ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol) to be compared. The aqueous extract obtained from 1 mg of the garlic preparation was found to be anti-oxidatively as effective as 30 nmol of ascorbic acid and/or 3.6 nmol of alpha-tocopherol.