title: Biological antioxidants.
abstract: The mechanism of lipid peroxidation and the ways in which the rate of this reaction can be reduced by small quantities of certain specific chemicals, called antioxidants, are described. The types and roles of the different antioxidants found in living systems are considered. Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) has long been recognized as an important lipid-soluble, chain-breaking antioxidant. It has an unexpectedly high reactivity towards peroxyl radicals, which can be understood only after detailed consideration of its structure. It is the major antioxidant of its class in human blood and its effectiveness in plasma is greatly improved by a synergistic interaction with water-soluble reducing agents such as ascorbic acid. Experiments designed to locate vitamin E within phospholipid bilayers and to discover the origin of the different biopotencies of stereoisomers of alpha-tocopherol are also described.
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Burton
authors.forename: D O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Perly
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Slater
authors.forename: I C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: K U
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Ingold
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D002338:Carotenoids; D005609:Free Radicals; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008055:Lipids; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010545:Peroxides; D010636:Phenols; D010743:Phospholipids; D014810:Vitamin E; D019207:beta Carotene
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005609:Free Radicals; D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008055:Lipids; D010545:Peroxides; D010636:Phenols; D010743:Phospholipids; D019207:beta Carotene; D014810:Vitamin E; D002338:Carotenoids; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D001205:Ascorbic Acid