Interaction between Vitamins C and E When Scavenging the Superoxide Radical Shown by Hydrodynamic Voltammetry and DFT

Abstract

In this study, we examine the cooperative effect between vitamins C and E that mitigates oxidative stress by using experimental and computational methods. We performed superoxide scavenging experiments on each vitamin individually and their combination using rotating ring–disk electrode voltammetry. The results indicate that vitamins E and C together produce more effective scavenging of superoxide as evaluated by a steeper slope in the efficiency graph, −7.2 × 104, compared to that of vitamin E alone, −1.8 × 103, or vitamin C alone, −1.3 × 104. Density Functional Theory calculations agree with our experimental results, and we describe a mechanism for the antioxidant action of individual vitamins E and C, plus the synergistic action when both vitamins interact. This process involves the restoration of vitamin E by vitamin C and includes π-π interactions between superoxide and scavengers. The overall result produces an increase in scavenging superoxide radicals when both vitamins act together.

Keywords

• vitamin C
• vitamin E
• nutrient synergy
• antioxidant
• superoxide