Antioxidant activity of oleuropein and semisynthetic acetyl-derivatives determined by measuring malondialdehyde in rat brain.

Both natural and semisynthetic polyphenol derivatives from a natural source as olive leaves were able to reduce MDA detection. The more lipophilic acetyl-derivatives showed an antioxidant activity greater than parent compounds. This potency seems to put in evidence a strict correlation between lipophilicity and bioavailability.