Free radicals play an important role in several biological processes such as cell signaling and redox regulation. However, prolonged exposure to free radicals leads to oxidative damage. Subsequently, it has been implicated in the progression of several diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurological disease, pulmonary disease, rheumatoid arthritis, nephropathy, ocular disease and pre-eclampsia. The antioxidant defense system within the body may confer protection to oxidative damage by scavenging free radicals. Antioxidants also may be obtained from dietary sources/ supplements. The efficacy of antioxidant intake on initiation and progression of chronic diseases will be reviewed.
Introduction
Oxygen is an element that is crucial for the sustenance of life on earth. It is paradoxical that this indispensable element can cause harmful effects in humans under certain circumstances. Much of the detrimental consequences of oxygen are attributed to its ability to form free radicals (1) . A free radical is a reactive molecule that contains at least one unpaired electron in its outer orbit, and is capable of independent existence (2).Accumulation of these molecules in the body results in oxidative stress, a process by which physiologically important molecules such as carbohydrates, proteins and lipids are damaged (3). However, the body can employ antioxidants to impede the threat of free radical attack (4).Antioxidants are potent scavengers of free radicals (1). They function by donating an electron to a free radical or by eliminating initiators of free radicals (5). Antioxidants may be classified as endogenous or exogenous depending on their mode of acquisition by the body (1). Endogenous antioxidants are naturally produced by t...
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...ment dosage and duration of treatment. Moreover, a host of lifestyle behaviors are responsible for determining the health of individuals. Antioxidant intake in combination with physical activity, and alcohol and tobacco moderation may yield profound benefits in disease management. Thus, multifactorial interventions may serve as alternative strategies in disease management. Finally, investigations on the effects of nutrients in isolation may provide valuable information regarding its mode of action, but do not elucidate the phenomenon of total diet. The intrinsic nature of diet is characterized by several interactions between bioactive dietary components, some of which still remain unexplained. Hence, antioxidant supplements must be prescribed with caution and the use of antioxidant rich foods as disease prevention agents may hold promise in future clinical trials.
Dr. Janis Eells presented a study that was accomplished by her and her students under the title “UNBLINDED BY THE LIGHT: Photobiomodulation for the Treatment of Retinal Degenerative Disease”. The purpose of this study is to determine whether photobiomodulation with near-infrared is able to treat retinal degeneration diseases. Thus, they hypothesis that the exposure of a rodent model of methanol toxicity to photobiomodulation (PBM) with near-infrared (NIR) could play a potential role in protecting the retina against the toxic actions of the methanol- derived formic acid. What is known about the topic is that if a small amount of methanol is injected it will rapidly cause permanent blindness. The methanol is metabolized to a mitochondrial toxin, and it is formic acid that can inhibit Cytochrome c Oxidase. This formic acid is able to interrupt mitochondrial function and increases oxidative stress in the retina and optic nerve which eventually leads to blindness. In order to fully test their hypothesis, the rats were randomly divided into four treatment groups: untreated control, LED-treated control, methanol-intoxicated, and LED-treated, methanol-intoxicated rats. they used electroretinogram as a sensitive indicator of retinal function, the experimental rats under methanol intoxication were exposed to three ...
The gaseous free radical nitric oxide is an abundant intracellular messenger molecule that plays a central role in maintenance of health, and is heavily involved in signal transduction in various cells of the body [1]. This molecule acts as a mediator in the regulation of cardiac function as well as having an important role in regulating contractility of the heart and maintenance of vascular tone in the cardiovascular system. As one of the most significant individuals in our discovery of nitric oxide, Dr. Robert Furchgott pioneered our understanding of this molecule through his experiments on the vasorelaxant properties of acetylcholine and the subsequent proposal of the presence of the endothelium derived relaxing factor, which was later identified to be nitric oxide [7]. Given the observation that cardiovascular disorders are the number one cause of death in many nations around the world, research into the vasorelaxant properties seems particularly relevant in order to help combat rising rates of vascular hypertension and high blood pressure. In this paper, the properties of nitric oxide are discussed largely with respect to the cardiovascular system. This paper focuses on the synthesis and characteristics of nitric oxide, the mechanisms of action by which nitric oxide works and the regulation of nitric oxide in the body, and finally a short summary of Robert Furchgott’s contributions to the discovery of nitric oxide and its properties.
The Andes had a legacy of resistance that was unseen in other Spanish occupied place during the colonial period. There were rebellions of various kinds as a continued resistance to conquest. In the “Letters of Insurrection”, an anthology of letters written amongst the indigenous Andean people, between January and March 1781 in what is now known as Bolivia, a statement is made about the power of community-based rebellion. The Letters of Insurrection displays effects of colonization and how the “lesser-known” revolutionaries that lived in reducción towns played a role in weakening colonial powers and creating a place of identification for indigenous people.
It is crystal clear that free radicals are harmful things. Once they accumulate in the tissues, they cause inflammation. As a result, a victim develops a degenerative disease like cancer or arthritis. They also cause pre-mature
Vitamin C in the body acts as an antioxidant. Vitamin C loses electrons easily, a characteristic that allows it to perform as an antioxidant. In the body, antioxidants defend against free radicals. A free radical is a molecule with one or more unpaired electrons, which makes it unstable and highly reactive. By donating an electron or two, antioxidants neutralize free radicals and protect other substances from their damage. Figure 1 illustrates how vitamin C can give up electrons to stop free radical damage and then accept them again to become reactivated. This recycling of vitamin C is key to limiting losses and maintaining a reserve of
From the Age of Exploration to the Revolutionary period, many factors shaped the connotation of the word liberty. Liberty is defined as, “the quality or state of being free” (Merriam-Webster). This means religious freedoms, political freedoms, social freedoms, and many freedoms we may not think of on a daily basis. Throughout history, the word liberty has developed into a word with a positive connotation as well as a word used to describe the freedom we have today. The idea of liberty developed because of, religious persecutions, restrictions, and maltreatment during the fifteenth century through the seventeenth century.
Jean-Paul Sartre claims that there can be no human nature, or essence, without a God to conceive of it. This claim leads Sartre to formulate the idea of radical freedom, which is the idea that man exists before he can be defined by any concept and is afterwards solely defined by his choices. Sartre presupposes this radical freedom as a fact but fails to address what is necessary to possess the type of freedom which would allow man to define himself. If it can be established that this freedom and the ability to make choices is contingent upon something else, then freedom cannot be the starting point from which man defines himself. This leaves open the possibility of an essence that is not necessarily dependent upon a God to conceive it. Several inconsistencies in Sartre’s philosophy undermine the plausibility of his concept of human nature. The type of freedom essential for the ability to define oneself is in fact contingent upon something else. It is contingent upon community, and the capacity for empathy, autonomy, rationality, and responsibility.
The Free Speech Movement (FSM) at the University of California at Berkeley started during the fall of 1964. (Freeman, Jo) But there were many events leading up to this point. The Free Speech Movement began to obtain momentum in the fall of 1963 and the spring of 1964 the Bay Area was rocked with the civil rights demonstrations against employers who practiced racial discrimination. (Freeman, Jo) These students believed that this was wrong and felt the need to do something about it. So many Berkeley students were recruited for these protests from Bancroft and Telegraph which where the companies that were racial discriminating against races and groups of people.(Freeman, Jo) With these protest there were many arrest made of Berkeley students there were about 500 arrests made over several months. (Freeman, Jo)
The first amendment ensures us the freedom of speech. The people of this country use that to voice their opinion on issues in our society. What the average citizen doesn’t know is that their first amendment can be revoked in terms of time, place, and the manner they are exercising it. Recently there have been many protests following homicides of black males by the hands of law enforcement. We’ve seen across the country where an officer involved shooting results in violence among the community. There are rioting, violent protests, putting other citizens at risk of either property loss or being injured, and fires that are set. We know that every agency across the US is just one-officer-involved shooting away from staring down the barrel of that
A well-balanced diet contains all the necessary vitamins, and most individuals who follow such a diet can correct any previous vitamin deficiencies. However, persons who are on special diets, who are suffering from intestinal disorders that prevent normal absorption of nutrients, or who are pregnant or lactating may need particular vitamin supplements to bolster their metabolism. Beyond such real needs, vitamin supplements are also often popularly believed to offer "cures" for many diseases, from colds to cancer; but in fact the body quickly eliminates most of these preparations without absorbing them. In addition, the fat-soluble vitamins can block the effect of other vitamins and even cause severe poisoning when taken in excess.
Vitamin E in all its forms, functions predominantly as an antioxidant by protecting cells from free radicals in the body. Vitamin E works as an antioxidant by donating a hydrogen atom from a hydroxyl group to a free radical within the body. Vitamin E also plays a role in immune system function and protects cell membranes and regulation of gene expression. Vitamin E has been studied to uncover other medical usages, including prevention or treatment of many health conditions [1].
Ascorbic acid is also called vitamin C and its antioxidant and metabolic properties are essential to both plants and animals. For instances, most of the deficiency-related diseases, like scurvy, can be healed by using ascorbic acid. Moreover, vitamin C is useful in improving human immunity system (ZHANG, 2013). One way that ascorbic acid functions to protect human health is that it can act as an antioxidant to react with the oxidants of the reactive oxygen species (ASARD, et.al., 2004). Reactive oxygen species refers to the reactive molecules containing oxygen and one of the examples is the hydroxyl radical (ZHANG, 2013). This kind of radical can cause damage to human health by interacting with proteins, lipids and nucleic acid in human’s cell (ASARD, et.al., 2004). Since ascorbic acid can react with these radicals, the resulting molecules will become stable and will not harm human’s cell anymore (ASARD, et.al., 2004).
The phenols present in Pumpkin Seeds inhibit these free radicals from causing harmful oxidative stress.
A free radical is an unstable molecule inside our bodies that attacks a stable molecule to steal its electrons to become stable. Therefore, it forms another free radical beginning a chain reaction that can result in organ damage. White tea contains polyphenols that neutralize these free radicals by donating their own electrons to stop the chain
Many research try to find new ways of stopping the aging process. Research discovered that the damage to the molecules which make up out cells is done by highly unstable molecules called reactive oxygen species. Humans need oxygen to stay alive, as this plays an important role in the energy production of cells. Normally the oxygen molecules are converted into water, but sometimes when they don’t take up enough electrons they become highly reactive. These reactive oxygen species which are left after the energy production process can damage the biological molecules, mutate genes, damage lipids which make up the cell membra...