Antioxidants

Antioxidants

Free radicals and related species have attracted a great deal of attention in recent years. Oxidative stress has been considered a major contributory factor to the diseases.

They are mainly derived from oxygen reactive species and nitrogen reactive species and are generated in our body by various endogenous systems and exposure to different physicochemical conditions or pathophysiological states.

Free radical damage to protein can result in loss of enzyme activity. There are epidemiological evidences correlating higher intake of components/foods with antioxidant abilities to lower incidence of various human morbidities or mortalities.

Plants such as shrubs, herbs, or trees in parts or in whole were used in the treatment and management of various diseases, and disorders can be dated long back.

Natural phytochemicals present at low levels in fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices offer many health benefits, but these compounds may not be effective or safe when consumed at higher dose. The presence of free radicals in biological materials was discovered less than 50 years ago.

Pollutants, ionizing radiation or UV light, smoking, exposure of biological systems to xenobiotics, and development of certain pathological conditions lead to oxidative stress, thereby increases production of oxy radicals.

Cell damage caused by free radicals appears to be a major contributor in aging and degenerative diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, cataracts, rheumatoid arthritis, and brain dysfunction.

Free radicals have been implicated in the pathogenesis of at least 50 diseases. Fortunately, free radical formation is controlled naturally by various beneficial compounds and antioxidants, and its availability is limited that this damage can become cumulative and debilitating.

Antioxidants are capable of stabilizing, deactivating, or scavenging free radicals before they attack cells.

Antioxidants can be defined as substances whose presence in relatively low concentrations significantly inhibits the role of oxidation of the targets. Due to continuous generation of partially reduced forms of oxygen by constitutive metabolic pathways, a number of protective antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx), glutathione reductase (GSHRx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), and no enzymatic antioxidants, have involved to deal with toxic species.

Without glutathione our body can’t use antioxidants- that activity goes lower by the age and with N-Acetyl cysteine we can activate glutathione production.

Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons from a substance to an oxidizing agent. Oxidation reactions can produce free radicals, which start chain reactions that damage cells.

Antioxidants terminate these chain reactions by removing free radical intermediates and inhibit other oxidation reactions by being oxidized themselves.

Antioxidants are often reducing agents such as thiols, ascorbic acid, or polyphenols.

Sources and origin of antioxidants

Antioxidants are abundant in fruits and vegetables, as well as in other foods including nuts, grains, and some meats, poultry, and fish.

β-Carotene is found in many foods, including sweet potatoes, carrots, cantaloupe, squash, apricots, pumpkin, and mangoes. Lutein, best known for its association with healthy eyes, is abundant in green, leafy vegetables such as collard greens, spinach, and kale.

Lycopene is a potent antioxidant found in tomatoes, watermelon, guava, papaya, apricots, pink grapefruit, blood oranges, and other foods. Estimates suggest 85% of American dietary intake of lycopene comes from tomatoes and tomato products.

Types of antioxidants

Antioxidants are grouped into

1. A) Primary or natural antioxidants

Primary or natural antioxidants

They are the chain breaking antioxidants which react with lipid radicals and convert them into more stable products. They are mainly phenolic in structures and include the following:

Antioxidant minerals: These are cofactor of antioxidants enzymes. Their absence will definitely affect metabolism of many macromolecules such as carbohydrates. Examples include selenium, copper, iron, etc.

Antioxidant vitamins: They are needed for most body metabolic functions. They include vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin B.

Phytochemicals: These are phenolic compounds that are neither vitamins nor minerals. These include:

Flavonoids: These are phenolic compounds that give vegetables fruits, grains, seeds leaves, flowers, and bark their colors.

Catechins are the most active antioxidants in green and black tea and sesamol.

Carotenoids are fat soluble color in fruits and vegetables.

Zeaxanthin is high in spinach and other dark greens.

Source of information : https://www.intechopen.com/books/traditional-and-complementary-medicine/a-review-on-natural-antioxidants