PhD defence Yue Wang

Keywords: Quercetin, Antioxidant Network, Metabolites, Computational Simulation 

"Revisiting the Antioxidant Network of Quercetin"

Quercetin is a natural compound found in many fruits and vegetables and is also widely used as a health supplement. Although more than 20 biological activities have been reported for quercetin, its protective effects are still not fully understood. This thesis revisited the mechanism of quercetin from a new perspective: not only as a single antioxidant molecule, but also as a source of active oxidation products.

Using computer-based simulations, biological data analysis and laboratory experiments, this thesis explored whether quercetin can be converted into several oxidation products that may also contribute to its biological effects. One of these products, called BZF, appeared to be especially promising. Compared with quercetin, BZF showed better water solubility, lower toxicity and stronger protective effects in cell experiments. These findings suggest that some health-related effects of quercetin may be partly explained by the active compounds formed after its oxidation.

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