Aug 07, 2006 • By Nandeshori Devi Konthoujam
Antioxidants are the chemical substances that are capable of binding to the free oxygen radicals and averting the destruction of the healthy cells by these or antioxidants are the substances which inhibits oxidation. Antioxidants are predominantly important in perspective of biology and organic chemistry as all existing cells enclose intricate systems of the antioxidant chemicals or enzymes to avoid chemical harm to the cellular components through oxidation.
All Living organisms do have a composite scheme of chemicals and antioxidant enzymes some of which are conserved throughout the evolution and thus are necessary for life. Antioxidants have immense significance in the biological systems, including defending oxidative injure and contributing in major signaling passageways of the body cells.
The most important function of antioxidants in the body cells is to avert harm by action of the imprudent oxygen species like superoxide anion (O2), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and free radicals including hydroxyl radical (• OH). Such molecules are unsteady and extremely reactive, and capable of spoiling cells by chemical sequential reactions for example lipid peroxidation and DNA adducts formation that might lead to cancer-promoting alteration or death of the cell. All cells thus possess antioxidants serve to lessen or avoid its damage.
Antioxidants are further categorized as inert and pro- oxidant on the type of the product released at the end of the oxidation reaction in the cells. Antioxidants are principally imperative in the eukaryotic cells mitochondria as oxygen utilization during the process of generating energy generate imprudent oxygen species. The aerobic metabolism process requires oxygen as oxygen provides the final quiescent place for generated electrons by oxidation steps in citric acid cycle.
Antioxidants dietary supplements are essential to slow down, avoid, or even overturn certain illnesses that are due to certain cellular damage, and conceivably even dawdling down the normal aging process. Some of the important antioxidant dietarysupplements are provitamin A (beta carotene) vitamin E, vitamin C and Selenium, or some special herbs known to have antioxidants values like those of jiaogulan and green tea.
Studies have recommended that antioxidants are significantly useful in several ways concerning the management of cancer. Antioxidants improve the efficiency of chemotherapy; reduce side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy and preventing some kinds of cancer. Adequate epidemiological revisions have revealed that ingesting antioxidants containing like vegetables and fruits, can reduce the jeopardy of numerous forms of cancer and it is observed in several studies that blood of cancer patients contain reduced level of antioxidants.
Antioxidant dietary supplement are those food supplements containing antioxidants obtainable from plants. Though antioxidants play a vital role in our bodily defense mechanism they are to be supplied from outside either as food or other ways. Investigations and studies on biological sciences reveal that consumption of antioxidant dietary supplements reduces harm to cells and biochemical in the free radicals.
