In order to adapt to the evolution from marine to terrestrial life, terrestrial plants began to produce antioxidants such as vitamin C, polyphenols and tocopherols that were not found in marine life.
During the evolution of angiosperms between 50 and 200 million years ago, many antioxidant natural pigments were developed - especially in the Jurassic period - as a chemical means to protect against reactive oxygen species, a byproduct of photosynthesis. Originally, the term antioxidant specifically referred to a class of chemicals that prevented the consumption of oxygen. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, extensive research focused on the use of antioxidants in important industrial processes, such as preventing metal corrosion, vulcanization of rubber, and fouling of internal combustion engines caused by fuel polymerization.
Early research on biological antioxidants focused on how to use antioxidants to prevent rancidity caused by oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids. Antioxidant activity can be measured by a simple method of measuring the oxidation rate of a piece of fat after placing it in an oxygenated sealed container. However, with the discovery and confirmation of the antioxidant effects of vitamins A, C, and E, people realized the importance of antioxidants in the biochemical role of organisms. When it was recognized that substances with antioxidant activity may be easily oxidized, the exploration of the possible mechanism of action of antioxidants began. By studying how vitamin E prevents lipid peroxidation, it was clarified that antioxidants, as reducing agents, react with reactive oxygen species to avoid damage to cells by reactive oxygen species, thus achieving the antioxidant effect.