Title:Dietary Antioxidants and their Potential Role in Human Disease
Management
Volume: 19
Issue: 3
Author(s): Rashmi Saini, Himaani Mehra, Tanisha Goyal and Neena K. Dhiman*
Affiliation:
- Department of Zoology, Gargi College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110049, India
Keywords:
Free radicals, vitamins, minerals, carotenes, flavonoids, oxidative stress.
Abstract: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are usually destroyed by the antioxidant defence systems
in our body. ROS in low concentrations may be beneficial or even indispensable for defence
against microorganisms and in intracellular signaling, but its higher amounts can trigger
negative chain reactions leading to various pathological conditions. A delicate balance between
antioxidants and oxidants is maintained in healthy organisms and protection against the harmful
effects of ROS is thus provided. The increase in ROS leading to oxidative stress plays a key role
in the development of chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, neurodegenerative, and cardiovascular
diseases. Several non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidant activities exist as a safeguard
against ROS accumulation. Imbalance between the oxidative stress and the antioxidant defence
systems causes irreversible changes in cellular components and the normal cell signaling mechanisms
are disrupted. The enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant defences include catalase
(CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), vitamin
A, vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin E (α-tocopherol), carotenes, flavonoids, etc. Several human
pathologies have been known to be treated by the use of medicinal plants owing to their antioxidant
properties. Dietary antioxidants such as vitamins, minerals, carotenes, and flavonoids, with
their mechanisms of antioxidant defence are discussed in the review for the effective management
of various human diseases.