This review examines the biological role of oxidants and antioxidants continuously produced by all living cells. Physiologically in human beings, who have inherited good genes, used to eat moderately a healthy diet and practising exercise every day, both systems are equally important and essential to maintain a normal long life. However the aging process slowly leads to a disequilibrium that becomes accentuated in pathologies such as diabetes, cardiovascular, degenerative, pulmonary, infective diseases and cancer. All of these diseases shorten the life span in about 80% of individuals and represent a huge social-economic problem for health authorities. Several factors as excessive feeding, smoking, alcoholism and a poor life-style conjure up to their realization. Their progress, initially promoted by some pathogens and a wrong life-style, is deeply accentuated by an excessive and deranged production of deadly oxidants no longer tamed by an inhibited control of the antioxidant defences. Effective orthodox drugs are able to slow down these ailments but they impoverish the quality of life because they cannot reactivate the innate ability to restore the complexity of the antioxidant system. Several potential approaches to renew this system have been discussed and their possible role to reactivate a valid protection in at least some of the outlined pathologies. It is hoped to pursue the evaluation of this integrated medical approach because it represents a sheet anchor for many patients.

Free Radicals and Antioxidants: How to Reestablish Redox Homeostasis in Chronic Diseases?

VALACCHI, Giuseppe
2013

Abstract

This review examines the biological role of oxidants and antioxidants continuously produced by all living cells. Physiologically in human beings, who have inherited good genes, used to eat moderately a healthy diet and practising exercise every day, both systems are equally important and essential to maintain a normal long life. However the aging process slowly leads to a disequilibrium that becomes accentuated in pathologies such as diabetes, cardiovascular, degenerative, pulmonary, infective diseases and cancer. All of these diseases shorten the life span in about 80% of individuals and represent a huge social-economic problem for health authorities. Several factors as excessive feeding, smoking, alcoholism and a poor life-style conjure up to their realization. Their progress, initially promoted by some pathogens and a wrong life-style, is deeply accentuated by an excessive and deranged production of deadly oxidants no longer tamed by an inhibited control of the antioxidant defences. Effective orthodox drugs are able to slow down these ailments but they impoverish the quality of life because they cannot reactivate the innate ability to restore the complexity of the antioxidant system. Several potential approaches to renew this system have been discussed and their possible role to reactivate a valid protection in at least some of the outlined pathologies. It is hoped to pursue the evaluation of this integrated medical approach because it represents a sheet anchor for many patients.
2013
Bocci, V.; Valacchi, Giuseppe
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11392/1814505
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