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On the Biochemistry of Antioxidants: Current Aspects

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Studies on Experimental Toxicology and Pharmacology

Abstract

Antioxidants include compounds directly scavenging or quenching reactive oxygen species. However, there are several cellular antioxidative strategies beyond that, including cellular adaptation to stressful stimuli. Numerous so-called antioxidants – although efficiently scavenging reactive species in a test tube – do not reach sufficient in vivo concentrations for effective scavenging to occur. Protective and beneficial consequences of such compounds may result from an interaction of minute amounts of “antioxidant” with cellular target structures. Such non-redox activities may lead to inhibition or stimulation of enzymes and signaling cascades, with potentially beneficial or adverse consequences. This chapter discusses antioxidative strategies, methods to assess antioxidant capacity, as well as adverse effects of antioxidants and mechanisms thereof.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrigenomics, Institute of Nutrition, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Dornburger Str. 29, 07743, Jena, Thüringen, Germany

    Lars-Oliver Klotz

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  1. Lars-Oliver Klotz
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Correspondence to Lars-Oliver Klotz .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Environmental & Human Toxicology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA

    Stephen M. Roberts

  2. Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

    James P. Kehrer

  3. Department of Nutrigenomics, Institute of Nutrition, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Thüringen, Germany

    Lars-Oliver Klotz

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Klotz, LO. (2015). On the Biochemistry of Antioxidants: Current Aspects. In: Roberts, S., Kehrer, J., Klotz, LO. (eds) Studies on Experimental Toxicology and Pharmacology. Oxidative Stress in Applied Basic Research and Clinical Practice. Humana Press, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-19096-9_20

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