Diosmin (DI) 3'5,7-trihydroxy-4'-methoxy flavone rutinoside is a member of the flavonoid family, some of whom have antioxidant or free radical scavenger properties. Paw oedema induced by doxorubicin in rats is reduced by DI as observed by SAUVAIRE et al (1989). This suggests a free radical scavenger activity for DI. In this work we demonstrate that such activity is able to protect isolated human LDL from oxidation in vitro. The study of the electrophoretic mobility of oxidized LDL and of total-MDA values as lipoperoxidation-marker indicates an oxidation inhibiting effect higher than 70% for 0.16 mM DI in LDL mixtures containing 50 mM Cu2+ or 4.3 mU/ml xanthine-oxidase and incubated during 20 and 6 hours respectively. Owing to the high level of the oxidizing conditions and the vitamin E (48 mM), vitamin A (1.4 mM) and beta-carotene (2.4 mM) content of the LDL mixtures, it is concluded that DI is clearly able to complement the antioxidant effect of isoprenoids which are naturally present in LDL mixtures.