Prooxidant activities of quercetin, p-courmaric acid and their derivatives analysed by quantitative structure-activity relationship

► Quercetin, ferulic acid and their derivatives showed great prooxidant activity in DNA cleavage system. ► The balance between antioxidant and prooxidant activity for tested phenolics is delicate. ► The quantitative structure-activity relationship for tested phenolics is elucidated.