ABTS/TAC Methodology: Main Milestones and Recent Applications

ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic) acid) is a widely used compound for determining the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of plant extracts, food, clinical fluids, etc. This photometric assay based on reduction by presence compounds well-known metastable radical (ABTS•+) which can be formed via several different approaches and in many determination methodologies such as automated measures microplates, robots, valuable titrations, previous liquid chromatographic separation. Another interesting aspect that, some cases, ABTS/TAC method permits sequential hydrophilic lipophilic activity determinations, obtaining values through summatory data both types antioxidants. In this work, we present review aspects ABTS/TAC, highlighting major achievements that have made so used, e.g., formation or reaction media, measurement strategies, automatization, adaptation to high-throughput systems, well pros cons. Moreover, recent examples applications plant, human, animal samples are discussed.