The inhibitory effects of antioxidants of bamboo leaves (AOB) and flavonoids against 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) formation were investigated in creatinine and phenylalanine model systems. AOB and the tested flavonoids (orientin, homoorientin, vitexin, isovitex, apigenin, luteolin, isorhamnetin, fisetin, and hesperetin) had significant dose-dependent inhibition effects on PhIP formation with different IC50 values. The superoxide anion (O2(•-)) scavenging activities of these nine flavonoids were evaluated using the pyrogallol autoxidation system. The EC50 values of compounds that showed antioxidant activity were found to correlate well (R(2) = 0.8003) with the corresponding IC50 values representing their inhibition of PhIP formation. It was assumed that the inhibitory effects of flavonoids on PhIP formation were probably achieved by scavenging free radicals generated in the reaction system. These findings provide valuable information for the development of effective strategies to minimize heterocyclic amine content in thermally processed food.