Oxygen-Derived Species: Their Relation to Human Disease and Environmental Stress

Free radicals and other reactive oxygen species (ROS) are constantly formed in the human body, often for useful metabolic purposes. Antioxidant defenses protect against them, but these defenses are not completely adequate, and systems that repair damage by ROS are also necessary. Mild oxidative stre...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental health perspectives 1994-12, Vol.102 (Suppl 10), p.5-12
Main Authors: Halliwell, Barry, Cross, Carroll E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Air Pollution
Antioxidants
Biochemistry of Oxygen Radicals
Cigarette smoking
Damage
Deoxyribonucleic acid
Disease - etiology
DNA damage
Environment
Enzymes
Free radicals
Human body
Humans
Hydrogen Peroxide - toxicity
Lipids
Lungs
Oxidation-Reduction
Oxidative Stress
Oxidoreductases - physiology
Reactive Oxygen Species
Smoke
Stresses
Superoxides
Superoxides - toxicity
Citations: Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Free radicals and other reactive oxygen species (ROS) are constantly formed in the human body, often for useful metabolic purposes. Antioxidant defenses protect against them, but these defenses are not completely adequate, and systems that repair damage by ROS are also necessary. Mild oxidative stress often induces antioxidant defense enzymes, but severe stress can cause oxidative damage to lipids, proteins, and DNA within cells, leading to such events as DNA strand breakage and disruption of calcium ion metabolism. Oxidative stress can result from exposure to toxic agents, and by the process of tissue injury itself. Ozone, oxides of nitrogen, and cigarette smoke can cause oxidative damage; but the molecular targets that they damage may not be the same.
ISSN:0091-6765
1552-9924
DOI:10.1289/ehp.94102s105