Toxic Agents-Induced Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant Potential of Medicinal Plants

Dear Colleagues,

Interest related to the origin of free radicals and the role of antioxidants has arisen owing to the fact that free radicals are highly reactive and unstable molecules with a significant impact on the human biological system. Extensive research has classified different types of free radicals within three main categories: reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS) and reactive sulfur species (RSS). The origin of radicals can be endogenous sources such as multifaction in mitochondria, peroxisomes, endoplasmic reticulum, phagocytic cells, etc., while exogenous sources may be air pollution, ultraviolet radiation, alcohol, smoking, heavy metals, pesticides and certain drugs. Oxidative stress has been associated with more than one hundred pathologies (atherosclerosis, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, pancreatic and liver diseases, joint disorders, cardiac fibrosis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, neurological diseases, aging, cancer, etc.). Therefore, supplementation of exogenous antioxidants or boosting endogenous antioxidant defenses of the body is a promising way of combating the undesirable effects of reactive species-induced oxidative damage. Besides playing a vital role in health maintenance and prevention of chronic degenerative diseases, medicinal plants can also protect the body from oxidative damage. This is likely due to their innate ability to synthesize non-enzymatic antioxidants such as ascorbic acid and glutathione, as well as secondary metabolites such as phenolic compounds. Antioxidant evaluation techniques or mechanisms via which medicinal plants act as antioxidants may be added value to the optimization of antioxidant ranks. Here, it is necessary to emphasize the need for the correct interpretation of the findings of plant therapeutic potential assessment studies based on in vitro and in vivo assays, as well as from the evidence in humans.

In this context, we encourage the submission of manuscripts, both original research and review papers, presenting novel findings of natural products’ role in the management of oxidative stress-related disorders.

Dr. Suzana Žunec
Guest Editor

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• bioactive molecules
• health maintenance
• longevity
• oxidative stress-related disorders
• treatment
• prevention
• antioxidative activity