ABSTRACT
Free radicals are highly reactive chemical species formed in all cells as unwanted byproducts of metabolism, and as such can be regarded as “toxic agents” with regard to their potential for initiating intracellular damage. Cells are protected from such oxidative damage by a variety of endogenous and exogenous antioxidant enzymes and chemical compounds. An imbalance in oxidant/antioxidant levels (“oxidative stress”) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a variety of human disorders. In this chapter, we review recent evidence for the involvement of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases (motor neuron disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s dementia), muscle disease, and aging, together with evidence for the beneficial role of nutritional antioxidants in the prevention and treatment of these disorders.
