radical scavenger

…the free radicals (called free radical scavengers) can slow the rate of autoxidation. These antioxidants include the naturally occurring tocopherols (vitamin E derivatives) and the synthetic compounds butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), and tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ).

Thiols are efficient radical scavengers (a radical X^∙ abstracts a thiol hydrogen atom, giving a thiyl radical RS^∙ and XH). The ability of thiols to serve as hydrogen atom donors makes them useful as radioprotective agents, especially since radiation can produce radicals; they are also useful as hydrogen…