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Tuesday 28 April 2015

Herbal antioxidant in clinical practice: A review


Abstract

Antioxidant-the word itself is magic. Using the antioxidant concept as a spearhead in proposed mechanisms for staving off so-called “free-radical” reactions, the rush is on to mine claims for the latest and most effective combination of free-radical scavenging compounds. We must acknowledge that such “radicals” have definitively been shown to damage all biochemical components such as DNA/RNA, carbohydrates, unsaturated lipids, proteins, and micronutrients such as carotenoids (alpha and beta carotene, lycopene), vitamins A, B6, B12, and folate. Defense strategies against such aggressive radical species include enzymes, antioxidants that occur naturally in the body (glutathione, uric acid, ubiquinol-10, and others) and radical scavenging nutrients, such as vitamins A, C, and E, and carotenoids. This paper will present a brief discussion of some well- and little-known herbs that may add to the optimization of antioxidant status and therefore offer added preventive values for overall health. It is important to state at the outset that antioxidants vary widely in their free-radical quenching effects and each may be individually attracted to specific cell sites. Further evidence of the specialized nature of the carotenoids is demonstrated by the appearance of two carotenoids in the macula region of the retina where beta-carotene is totally absent.

Keywords

  • Antioxidant;
  • Carotenoid;
  • Free-radical;
  • Herb
Foundation Project: Supported by Institute of Pharmacy, Bundelkhand University, Jhansi (U.P.), India(Grant number: BU/PHARM/02-13).
Available online 28 Jan 2014
Peer reviewer Shruti Rawal, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. E-mail: shruti1485@gmail.com
Comments It is a systematic review that clearly focuses on the clinical applications of herbs as antioxidants. Oxidative stress is being reported as the major hallmark in the etiology of chronic diseases such as diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, renal failures, cancer, etc.
Details on Page 83

Corresponding author: Shashi Alok, Assistant Professor, Institute of Pharmacy, Bundelkhand University, Jhansi (U.P.), India. Tel: +91 9450036362