Antioxidants for human health

2020 ◽  
pp. 22-26
Author(s):  
Biswaranjan Paital ◽  

Antioxidants are chemical or biochemical substances that are capable to prevent or slow damages occurred to cells caused by free radicals. Free radicals are the chemical entities that are produced due to sharing of unpaired electrons and are with free existence but unstable in nature. Organism’s body produces free radicals as a reaction to environmental and other internal and external stressors. If not neutralized, free radicals can damage cellular architecture by oxidizing all bio-molecules. They are neutralized by antioxidants which are chemicals or biological in origin. Therefore, free radicals and antioxidants are simultaneously and widely discussed in the clinical and nutritional literature. Cellular or endogenous antioxidant defenses includes enzymes (superoxide dismutases, H2O2-removing enzymes such as catalase, and peroxidasses), and non-enzymes such as vitamin C (ascorbic acids, vitamin E and reduced glutathione. Diet-derived antioxidants are important in maintaining health. Many dietary compounds have been suggested to be important antioxidants: Therefore recent interest on dietary vitamins E and C, carotenoids and plant pigments, plant phenolics, especially flavonoids are growing to mauanitn human health. Experimental approaches to the optimization of antioxidant nutrient intake are already known and must be adapted for health management.

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (12) ◽  
pp. 1955-1996 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Speciale ◽  
Antonella Saija ◽  
Romina Bashllari ◽  
Maria Sofia Molonia ◽  
Claudia Muscarà ◽  
...  

: Chronic Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs), mostly represented by cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic pulmonary diseases, cancers, and several chronic pathologies, are one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality, and are mainly related to the occurrence of metabolic risk factors. Anthocyanins (ACNs) possess a wide spectrum of biological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, cardioprotective and chemopreventive properties, which are able to promote human health. Although ACNs present an apparent low bioavailability, their metabolites may play an important role in the in vivo protective effects observed. : This article directly addresses the scientific evidences supporting that ACNs could be useful to protect human population against several NCDs not only acting as antioxidant but through their capability to modulate cell redox-dependent signaling. In particular, ACNs interact with the NF-κB and AP-1 signal transduction pathways, which respond to oxidative signals and mediate a proinflammatory effect, and the Nrf2/ARE pathway and its regulated cytoprotective proteins (GST, NQO, HO-1, etc.), involved in both cellular antioxidant defenses and elimination/inactivation of toxic compounds, so countering the alterations caused by conditions of chemical/oxidative stress. In addition, supposed crosstalks could contribute to explain the protective effects of ACNs in different pathological conditions characterized by an altered balance among these pathways. Thus, this review underlines the importance of specific nutritional molecules for human health and focuses on the molecular targets and the underlying mechanisms of ACNs against various diseases.


Nutrients ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valeria Curti ◽  
Arianna Di Lorenzo ◽  
Daniela Rossi ◽  
Emanuela Martino ◽  
Enrica Capelli ◽  
...  

1986 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 295-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Warren Rosenfeld ◽  
Luzminda Concepcion

2000 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 378-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
C S Constantinescu ◽  
P Freitag ◽  
L Kappos

Free radicals including peroxynitrite are induced in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Antioxidant and peroxynitrite inhibitor uric acid (UA), suppresses the MS animal model experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). MS patients have lower average serum UA than controls. An inverse relationship exists between MS and gout. Glatiramer acetate (GA) suppresses EAE and is beneficial in relapsing MS. We investigated serum UA changes during open-label treatment of relapsing MS with GAA. Ten patients (six females, four males, aged 19 to 39 years, mean age 32 years) completed 6 months of GAA (Copaxone® 20 mg s.c. daily). Of these, nine completed 12 months. After 6 months on GAA, serum UA (normal, 173-359 mmol/ml for women, 258-491 mmol/ml for men) increased in nine and marginally decreased (302 to 300 mmol/ml) in a single patient. Mean UA significantly increased from 240 to 303 mol/ml (P=0.0014). At 12 months, UA remained significantly higher than at start (P=0.006) decreasing in only one patient. In contrast, we found no significant UA changes after 6 and 12 months of treatment in 21 MS patients treated with interferon b1-a (Avonex®), or in 11 treated with interferon b1-a (Rebif®), or in five placebo-treated controls. Increasing UA, a natural inhibitor of free radicals, may represent a mechanism of action of glatiramer acetate in MS.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmelo Romeo ◽  
Giuseppe Santoro

We examine the relationship between the structure and function of the testis and the oxidative and nitrosative stress, determined by an excessive production of free radicals and/or decreased availability of antioxidant defenses, which occur in the testis of adolescents affected by varicocele. Moreover, the effects of surgical treatment on oxidative stress were provided. We conducted a PubMed and Medline search between 1980 and 2014 using “adolescent,” “varicocele,” “free radicals,” “oxidative and nitrosative stress,” “testis,” and “seminiferous tubules” as keywords. Cross-references were checked in each of the studies, and relevant articles were retrieved. We conclude that increased concentration of free radicals, generated by conditions of hypoxia, hyperthermia, and hormonal dysfunction observed in adolescent affected by varicocele, can harm germ cells directly or indirectly by influencing nonspermatogenic cells and basal lamina. With regard to few available data in current literature, further clinical trials on the pre- and postoperative ROS and RNS levels together with morphological studies of the cellular component of the testis are fundamental for complete comprehension of the role played by free radicals in the pathogenesis of adolescent varicocele and could justify its pharmacological treatment with antioxidants.


2011 ◽  
Vol 65 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 247-256
Author(s):  
Jelka Stevanovic ◽  
Suncica Borozan ◽  
Slavoljub Jovic ◽  
Igor Ignjatovic

Free radicals occur constantly during metabolism and take part in numerous physiological processes, such as: intra-cellular and inter-cellular signalization, gene expression, removal of damaged or senescent cells, and control of the tone of blood vessels. However, there is an increased quantity of free radicals in situations of so-called oxidative stress, when they cause serious damage to cellular membranes (peroxidation of their lipids, damage of membrane proteins, and similar), to interior cellular protein molecules, as well as DNA molecules and carbohydrates. This is precisely why the organism has developed numerous mechanisms for removing free radicals and/or preventing their production. Some of these are enzyme-related and include superoxide-dismutase, catalase, glutathione-peroxidase, and others. Other, non-enzyme mechanisms, imply antioxidative activities of vitamins E and C, provitamin A, coenzyme Q, reduced glutation, and others. Since free radicals can leave the cell that has produced them and become dispersed throughout the body, in addition to antioxidative defense that functions within cellular structures, antioxidant extra-cellular defense has also been developed. This is comprised by: transferrin, lactoferrin, haptoglobin, hemopexin, ceruloplasmin, albumins, extra-cellular isoform SOD, extracellular glutathione-peroxidase, glucose, bilirubin, urates, and many other molecules.


2009 ◽  
Vol 103 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel D. Ferrer ◽  
Pedro Tauler ◽  
Antoni Sureda ◽  
Clara Palacín ◽  
Josep A. Tur ◽  
...  

Our aim was to analyse the influence of variegate porphyria (VP) on the antioxidant defenses and markers of oxidative damage and inflammation in plasma and neutrophils and the effects of dietary supplementation with vitamins E and C on these parameters in plasma, neutrophils and erythrocytes. Twelve women affected by VP and twelve pair-matched healthy control women participated in a double-blind crossover study. Each participant took 50 mg/d of vitamin E and 150 mg/d of vitamin C, or a placebo, for 6 months, by consuming an almond-based beverage as the vehicle. Women affected by VP presented higher C-reactive protein and malondialdehyde (MDA) circulating levels. Plasma antioxidant defenses were not different between porphyric and control women. Neutrophils from VP women presented decreased catalase (CAT) and glutathione reductase (GR) activities together with increased protein carbonyl levels. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production from stimulated neutrophils was also higher in porphyric women than their controls. Dietary supplementation was effective in increasing α-tocopherol levels in neutrophils and in reducing MDA levels in plasma. Erythrocyte CAT and GR activities were enhanced by the enriched beverage only in the control subjects. In conclusion, women affected by VP present a situation of inflammation, plasma oxidative damage and neutrophils more primed to the oxidative burst, with decreased antioxidant activities and increased ROS production capabilities and protein oxidative damage. Dietary supplementation with vitamin E (50 mg/d) and vitamin C (150 mg/d) for 6 months decreased plasma oxidative damage and enhanced the erythrocyte activities of CAT and GR.


2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 864-868
Author(s):  
Mohamed Afifi ◽  
Ali Alkaladi

AbstractHibernation is an extreme physiological state characterized by profound decreases in oxidative metabolism and body temperature during bouts of prolonged torpor, interrupted by brief periods of arousal with sudden increases in oxidative metabolism, with alterations in antioxidant defenses. We monitored the activities of antioxidant enzymes and oxidative stress during hibernation and activity in Uromastyx philbyi. 20 animals were used, 10 of which were collected in the hibernation season (group I) and the other 10 collected during the active period (group II). Blood, liver, brown adipose tissue (BAT) and brain samples were used to determine free radical and antioxidant levels. The results indicated a significant decrease of free radicals and increase of vitamin C, especially in serum during hibernation. In contrast, during the active period free radicals, enzymatic antioxidants as glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione reductase (GR), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) and non-enzymatic antioxidants as reduce glutathione (GSH) and vitamin E increased in all studied tissues. It can be concluded that Uromastyx philbyi has a strong antioxidant defense system that protects it from the injurious effects of free radicals either at the periods of arousal or during activity periods.


1990 ◽  
Vol 258 (4) ◽  
pp. L165-L172 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. K. Tanswell ◽  
D. M. Olson ◽  
B. A. Freeman

Cultured pneumocytes, prepared from fetal rat lung, are growth inhibited and have increased lactate dehydrogenase release and prostaglandin synthesis in response to 50 and 95% O2 exposure. The uptake of cationic liposomes by these fetal cells is more rapid and extensive than is the case with cultured adult pneumocytes. Protection of fetal pneumocytes against the cytotoxic effects of 50 or 95% O2 by liposome-entrapped antioxidant enzymes requires a liposome phospholipid concentration of only 1 nmol/cm2, compared with 45 nmol/cm2 for adult cells, which is a cytotoxic phospholipid concentration for the fetal cells. Despite this capacity of low concentrations of liposomes containing superoxide dismutase and catalase to increase endogenous antioxidant enzyme content, and to protect against cell death, such treatment does not attenuate O2-mediated alterations of cell growth or prostaglandin release. Inhibition of pneumocyte DNA synthesis, by elevated O2 concentrations, cannot be attributed to an autocrine effect of enhanced prostaglandin synthesis, because the addition of 50 microM ibuprofen to inhibit prostaglandin synthesis does not prevent O2-mediated effects on DNA synthesis.


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