Losy roślinnych antyoksydantów w organizmie ludzkim

*Elwira Sieniawska

Summary
Oxidative stress is an imbalance in the redox status of a cell, between the production of reactive oxygen species and antioxidant defence mechanisms, leading to damage, potential mutations and ultimately the formation of cancer. Defence against oxidative stress is therefore an important factor in preventing the development of many diseases. Synthetic antioxidants such as BHT, BHA, and TBHQ have commonly been used to prevent oxidative deterioration of fats and oily foods. Nowadays, the scientists have casted some toxicological doubts on synthetic antioxidants due to their adverse side effects. Plants contain a wide variety of free radical scavenging molecules, such as fenolic acids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, carotenoids and vitamins. This antioxidants can delay or inhibit the oxidation of lipids or other molecules by inhibiting the initiation or propagation of oxidative chain reactions. A number of methods and variations have been developed and applied for the measurement of antioxidant capacity, but very often there is lack of correlation between activities determined in vivo and in vitro. Accumulating evidence indicates that flavonoids are poorly bioavailable and reach only low, micromolar concentrations in human plasma, even after the intake of large amounts of flavonoid-rich foods. In addition, most flavonoids are extensively metabolized in vivo, which can affect their antioxidant activity.

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