ABSTRACT
I. INTRODUCTION A. Oxidative Stress It is now commonly accepted that a consequence of normal aerobic metabolism is the production of reactive oxygen species These species, which include the hydroxyl and superoxidc anion radicals, hydrogen peroxide, singlet oxygen eo2), hypochlorite, the nitric oxide radical, and peroxynitrite, pose a risk for the cell since many are capable of damaging DNA, proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates. Diverse biological processes, such as antimicrobial defense, inflammation, carcinogenesis, radiation damage, photobiological effects, and aging, involve reactive oxygen species (3-8). Oxidative stress reflects a shift in the prooxidantantioxidant balance that characterizes the normal aerobic steady state toward the
prooxidants,leadingtodamageproducts(5,6).Muchrecentresearchonfree radicalsinbiologyandmedicine(7,9)hasfocusedonoxidativedamagetoDNA basesandproteins,andonproductsoflipidperoxidation(10,11).
