The Supportive Role of Dietary Antioxidants in Antioxidant Defence System

Abstract

Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species are generated both endogenously and in response to external factors, such as diet and lifestyle, and play a major role in the aetiology of several degenerative diseases. The effect of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) is balanced by the antioxidant action of enzymatic antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, antioxidant compounds such as, thioredoxin, lipoic acid and dietary antioxidant such as Vitamin C, Vitamin E, carotenoids, flavonoids. Antioxidant defences are extremely important as they represent the direct removal of free radicals, thus providing protection for biological sites. However, as this protection may not be sufficient to entirely prevent the damage by ROS/RNS, consumption of food rich in dietary antioxidants which offers supportive role in antioxidant defence system in removing excessive ROS/RNS become even more important in protecting cell biomolecules against oxidative damage.

Keywords: Reactive oxygen species, Free radicals, Antioxidants, Cell biomolecules, Oxidative damage.

DOI: 10.7176/ALST/73-06

Publication date: April 30^th 2019