ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of inflammation-based gastrointestinal tract diseases, namely celiac disease and inflammatory bowel diseases, as well as the potential role of antioxidants in their prevention and treatment. Celiac disease is associated with serious consequences on health, such as malabsorption of nutrients, osteoporosis, gastrointestinal malignancies, and the onset of other autoimmune diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, making it a serious public health problem, which needs to be treated. Among the mediators of the dysfunctional immunoregulation of the gut, oxidative stress is considered as a potential etiological and/or triggering factor for Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Oxidative stress is considered to contribute both to the development and the progression of IBD. Current theories on IBD pathogenesis suggest that interactions among various genetic, environmental, and immune factors lead to an uncontrolled, dysregulated immune response in the intestinal mucosa.
