compositions containing purified nucleic acid wherein the nucleic acid acts as an antioxidant . such compositions also include materials subject to oxidative damage such as antioxidants , vitamins , lipids , foods and pharmaceuticals . the invention also includes methods for preparing such compositions . these methods include dissolving the nucleic acid and a hydrophilic material in an aqueous solution , which may later be dried or further processed . additionally , nucleic acid may be coupled with a molecule having hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions and then solubilized in a hydrophobic material . it may also be shaped into small aggregates and added to a hydrophobic material .