A series of alkyl nitrohydroxytyrosyl ether derivatives has been synthesized from free hydroxytyrosol (HT), the natural olive oil phenol, in order to increase the assortment of compounds with potential neuroprotective activity in Parkinson's disease. In this work, the antioxidant activity of these novel compounds has been evaluated using Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP), 2,2 1 -azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS), and Oxygen Radical Scavenging Capacity (ORAC) assays compared to that of nitrohydroxytyrosol (NO 2 HT) and free HT. New compounds showed variable antioxidant activity depending on the alkyl side chain length; compounds with short chains (2-4 carbon atoms) maintained or even improved the antioxidant activity compared to NO 2 HT and/or HT, whereas those with longer side chains (6-8 carbon atoms) showed lower activity than NO 2 HT but higher than HT.

Hydroxytyrosol is a well-known phenolic compound with antioxidant properties that is found in virgin olive oil. Studies have shown that virgin olive oil has neuroprotective effects in rats; thus the purpose of the present study was to investigate the neuroprotective effect of hydroxytyrosol in rats. Additionally, this study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective potential of a homologous series of compounds with better lipophilic profiles in order to increase the assortment of compounds with a putative effect against ; i.p.) treatment of hydroxytyrosol and its nitroderivatives. For comparison, a commercial COMT inhibitor, Ro 41-0960, was also included. Our data show that acute and chronic systemic administration of these compounds produced a clear and statistically significant increase in the intracellular levels of dopamine and its metabolite, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid. The increase in dopamine levels was very similar to the increase seen with Ro 41-0960 treatment. The effect of chronic treatment was stronger than that of acute treatment. With respect to the intracellular level of homovanillic acid, Ro 41-0960 produced a statistically significant decrease which it was not observed when hydroxytyrosol and its nitroderivatives were systemically administered. However, the chronic homovanillic acid treatment effect was stronger than the acute treatment. The results suggest that these compounds could inhibit COMT activity.

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