title: Endogenous antioxidants and radical scavengers.
abstract: All living organisms are constantly exposed to oxidant agents deriving from both endogenous and exogenous sources capable to modify biomolecules and induce damages. Free radicals generated by oxidative stress exert an important role in the development of tissue damage and aging. Reactive species (RS) derived from oxygen (ROS) and nitrogen (RNS) pertain to free radicals family and are constituted by various forms of activated oxygen or nitrogen. RS are continuosly produced during normal physiological events but can be removed by antioxidant defence mechanism: the imbalance between RS and antioxidant defence mechanism leads to modifications in cellular membrane or intracellular molecules. In this chapter only endogenous antioxidant molecules will be critically discussed, such as Glutathione, Alpha-lipoic acid, Coenzyme Q, Ferritin, Uric acid, Bilirubin, Metallothioneine, L-carnitine and Melatonin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Sciences Applied to Biosystems, DISMAB, University of Milan, Italy. Institute of General Physiology and Biochemistry,
authors.forename: Angela Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Berselli
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zava
authors.forename: Gigliola
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Montorfano
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Negroni
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Corsetto
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Berra
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D026361:Reactive Nitrogen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D026361:Reactive Nitrogen Species; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species