0824754360 - 8-17 - Herbal and Traditional Medicine Molecular Aspects of Health

969 Pages·2020·8.24 MB·English

Herbal
and
Traditional Medicine

Molecular Aspects of Health

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OXIDATIVE STRESS AND DISEASE

Series Editors

LESTER PACKER, PH.D.
ENRIQUE CADENAS, M.D., PH.D.

University of Southern California School of Pharmacy
Los Angeles, California

1. Oxidative Stress in Cancer, AIDS, and Neurodegenerative
Diseases, edited by Luc Montagnier, René Olivier, and
Catherine Pasquier
2. Understanding the Process of Aging: The Roles of Mitochondria,
Free Radicals, and Antioxidants, edited by Enrique Cadenas
and Lester Packer
3. Redox Regulation of Cell Signaling and Its Clinical Application,
edited by Lester Packer and Junji Yodoi
4. Antioxidants in Diabetes Management, edited by Lester Packer,
Peter Rösen, Hans J. Tritschler, George L. King, and Angelo
Azzi
5. Free Radicals in Brain Pathophysiology, edited by
Giuseppe Poli, Enrique Cadenas, and Lester Packer
6. Nutraceuticals in Health and Disease Prevention, edited by
Klaus Krämer, Peter-Paul Hoppe, and Lester Packer
7. Environmental Stressors in Health and Disease, edited by
Jürgen Fuchs and Lester Packer
8. Handbook of Antioxidants: Second Edition, Revised
and Expanded, edited by Enrique Cadenas and Lester Packer
9. Flavonoids in Health and Disease: Second Edition, Revised
and Expanded, edited by Catherine A. Rice-Evans
and Lester Packer
10. Redox–Genome Interactions in Health and Disease, edited by
Jürgen Fuchs, Maurizio Podda, and Lester Packer
11. Thiamine: Catalytic Mechanisms in Normal and Disease States,
edited by Frank Jordan and Mulchand S. Patel

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Related Volumes

Vitamin E in Health and Disease: Biochemistry and Clinical
Applications, edited by Lester Packer and Jürgen Fuchs

Vitamin A in Health and Disease, edited by Rune Blomhoff

Free Radicals and Oxidation Phenomena in Biological Systems,
edited by Marcel Roberfroid and Pedro Buc Calderon

Biothiols in Health and Disease, edited by Lester Packer
and Enrique Cadenas

Handbook of Antioxidants, edited by Enrique Cadenas
and Lester Packer

Handbook of Synthetic Antioxidants, edited by Lester Packer
and Enrique Cadenas

Vitamin C in Health and Disease, edited by Lester Packer
and Jürgen Fuchs

Lipoic Acid in Health and Disease, edited by Jürgen Fuchs,
Lester Packer, and Guido Zimmer

Flavonoids in Health and Disease, edited by Catherine
Rice-Evans and Lester Packer

Additional Volumes in Preparation

Phytochemicals in Health and Disease, edited by Yongping Bao
and Roger Fenwick

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Marcel Dekker
New York

Herbal
and
Traditional Medicine

Molecular Aspects of Health

edited by
Lester Packer
Choon Nam Ong
Barry Halliwell

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5436-0_Packer_Ch01_R2_061804

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Although great care has been taken to provide accurate and current information,
neither the author(s) nor the publisher, nor anyone else associated with this publica-
tion, shall be liable for any loss, damage, or liability directly or indirectly caused or
alleged to be caused by this book. The material contained herein is not intended to
provide specific advice or recommendations for any specific situation.

Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered
trademarks and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to
infringe.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
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ISBN: 0-8247-5436-0

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PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

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Series Introduction

Oxygen is a dangerous friend. Overwhelming evidence indicates that oxida-
tive stress can lead to cell and tissue injury. However, the same free radicals
that are generated during oxidative stress are produced during normal
metabolism and thus are involved in both human health and disease.

Free radicals are molecules with an odd number of electrons. The odd,
or unpaired, electron is highly reactive as it seeks to pair with another
free electron.
Free radicals are generated during oxidative metabolism and energy
production in the body.
Free radicals are involved in:
Enzyme-catalyzed reactions
Electron transport in mitochondria
Signal transduction and gene expression
Activation of nuclear transcription factors
Oxidative damage to molecules, cells, and tissues
Antimicrobial action of neutrophils and macrophages
Aging and disease

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iii

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Normal metabolism is dependent on oxygen, a free radical. Through
evolution, oxygen was chosen as the terminal electron acceptor for respira-
tion. The two unpaired electrons of oxygen spin in the same direction; thus,
oxygen is a biradical, but is not a very dangerous free radical. Other oxygen-
derived free radical species, such as superoxide or hydroxyl radicals, formed
during metabolism or by ionizing radiation are stronger oxidants and are
therefore more dangerous.
In addition to research on the biological effects of these reactive oxygen
species, research on reactive nitrogen species has been gathering momentum.
NO, or nitrogen monoxide (nitric oxide), is a free radical generated by NO
synthase (NOS). This enzyme modulates physiological responses such as
vasodilation or signaling in the brain. However, during inflammation,
synthesis of NOS (iNOS) is induced. This iNOS can result in the overpro-
duction of NO, causing damage. More worrisome, however, is the fact that
excess NO can react with superoxide to produce the very toxic product
peroxynitrite. Oxidation of lipids, proteins, and DNA can result, thereby
increasing the likelihood of tissue injury.
Both reactive oxygen and nitrogen species are involved in normal cell
regulation in which oxidants and redox status are important in signal
transduction. Oxidative stress is increasingly seen as a major upstream
component in the signaling cascade involved in inflammatory responses,
stimulating adhesion molecule and chemoattractant production. Hydrogen
peroxide, which breaks down to produce hydroxyl radicals, can also activate
NF-nB, a transcription factor involved in stimulating inflammatory
responses. Excess production of these reactive species is toxic, exerting
cytostatic effects, causing membrane damage, and activating pathways of
cell death (apoptosis and/or necrosis).
Virtually all diseases thus far examined involve free radicals. In most
cases, free radicals are secondary to the disease process, but in some instances
free radicals are causal. Thus, there is a delicate balance between oxidants and
antioxidants in health and disease. Their proper balance is essential for
ensuring healthy aging.
The term oxidative stress indicates that the antioxidant status of cells
and tissues is altered by exposure to oxidants. The redox status is thus
dependent on the degree to which a cell’s components are in the oxidized
state. In general, the reducing environment inside cells helps to prevent
oxidative damage. In this reducing environment, disulfide bonds (S—S) do
not spontaneously form because sulfhydryl groups kept in the reduced state
(SH) prevent protein misfolding or aggregation. This reducing environment is
maintained by oxidative metabolism and by the action of antioxidant
enzymes and substances, such as glutathione, thioredoxin, vitamins E and

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Series Introduction
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