Biological Importance of Antioxidants
General Info No Comments »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.


