ABSTRACT
Antioxidants are chemical compounds able to hinder the oxidation of biological components and hence to prevent many natural and pathological processes related to oxidative stress in human beings. Radical reactions initiated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in aging processes and degenerative diseases, for example, atherosclerosis and cancer [1]. Supplementations of antioxidants to maintain health and to cure disease are an important strategy in the antioxidant therapy. Natural and synthetic antioxidants are widely used as biologically active additives to food and cosmetics. Some of them show antibacterial properties and prolong the storage period of the foodstuffs. Meanwhile, the excessive amounts of antioxidants provoke the generation of radical species due to pro-oxidative effect and hence could be dangerous [2]. The importance of the antioxidants for food quality assessment and human health calls for the elaboration of
CONTENTS
25.1 Introduction ................................................................................................ 695 25.2 DNA Sensors for the Detection of Damaging Factors .......................... 696
25.2.1 DNA Damage by ROS ................................................................... 697 25.2.2 Electrochemical DNA Sensors for the Detection of the
DNA Damage .................................................................................700 25.3 Measurements of Phenolic Antioxidants and AOA with
Electrochemical DNA Sensors ................................................................. 703 25.4 Conclusion .................................................................................................. 709 Acknowledgments .............................................................................................. 710 References ............................................................................................................. 710
fast and reliable techniques for the evaluation of the antioxidant properties of the individual compounds. Total antioxidant activity (AOA), or capacity, of food and beverages is also discussed in terms of their relative benets and dietary value.
