Free Radicals, Health, and Nutrition Group*
*This is a new group that resulted from the association of the following groups:
 Free Radical Biochemistry, Biocatalysis, and Biocorrosion.

Group Members

Maria de Lurdes Afonso Barreira Alves de Mira
Ana Rosa Leal Lino
Maria Luisa Mourato de Oliveira Marques Serralheiro

PhD students

Pedro Falé

MSc Students

Sara Aguiar

Vânia Pereira

FREE RADICAL BIOCHEMISTRY GREATLY STIMULATED THE INTEREST ON THE ROLE OF BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS IN PREVENTING SEVERAL HUMAN DISEASES

● This group aims to study biological/pharmacologiacal activities of bioactive phenolic compounds to contribute to the elucidation of the mechanisms underlying their associated beneficial health effects.

● The identification of plasma metabolites of the compounds under study, the potential bioactive in vivo forms, and to establish whether effective concentrations are achieved in vivo, is another aim of our studies.

 Several on-going projects include:

 ● In vitro and in vivo screening of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of several flavonoids in order to search new anti-inflammatory drugs.

 ● Antioxidant and antiacetylcholinesterase activity of phenolic compounds for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

 ● Inhibition of microorganisms growth and dental biofilm formation by phenolic compounds - "Biocorrosion in dental materials"; POCTI/CTM/56029/2004; 2004-2008.

 ● Study of the antioxidant potential and chemical characterization of phenolic compounds in Portuguese olive oils.

Publications