Human Diseases Caused By Oxidative Stress: Targeting Free Radicals

Abstract

Under situations of oxidative stress, biological systems' ability to remove reactive oxygen species (ROS) from cells and tissues falls out of balance, resulting in cell and tissue damage. ROS, which is normally produced as a consequence of a range of metabolic processes, may perform a variety of physiological tasks (such as cell signalling).However, environmental stressors (i.e., ultraviolet, ionising radiation, pollutants, and heavy metals), xenobiotics (i.e., antiblastic drugs), and xenobiotics (i.e., antibacterial drugs) all contribute significantly to ROS production, resulting in the imbalance that results in ROS-induced cell damage to endanger cells and tissues (oxidative stress). Antioxidants such as vitamin E, flavonoids, and polyphenols have witnessed an increase in popularity in recent years due to their alleged therapeutic benefits on oxidative stress. Apart from being detrimental to the human body, oxidative stress is also employed therapeutically to treat clinical illnesses such as cancer, with some effectiveness. We will summarise the most recent studies on oxidative stress in this section, emphasising both its negative and positive consequences on human health.