ANTIOXIDANTS AND ANTIOXIDANT ENZYMES …#2 thaiwave/networkantioxidants/antioxidantenzymes.htm NOTES: Free radicals can injure biological molecules, such as: DNA Lipids Proteins Free radicals can cause cell and tissue damage leading to aging and disease. The interconnected action of the various anti-oxygenic ENZYMES keeps the concentration of free radicals in cells relatively low. However the redox system is not completely effective, so there always is a steady state of free radical damage to our tissues [DAMAGE]. PICTURE: #2 ANTIOXIDANTS AND ANTIOXIDANT ENZYMES ANTIOXIDANT ENZYMES To aid in biodefense, a system of antioxidants exists to neutralize free radicals after they have formed. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) Vitamin C reacts with superoxide in the aqueous [watery] phase Vitamin E Vitamin E is a family of molecules in the lipophilic [fatty] phase comprised of four types of toco-PHEROLS… Tocopherol alpha Tocopherol beta Tocopherol gamma Tocopherol delta and the same four types of… Toco-TRIENOLS [alpha, beta, gamma & delta] These various forms of Vitamin E will directly react with peroxy radicals to destroy them and form inorganic or organic hydroperoxides [harmless]. When these reactions happen, Vitamin E and or Vitamin C themselves become free radicals and they too have to be neutralized [reduced]. But these antioxidants [Vitamin C and E] have aromatic ring structures, which delocalize the unpaired electron [which would otherwise be quite unstable] and because the electron moves around it is: less-reactive longer-lived less dangerous than the free radicals that they have just quenched by donating their electron. In this way Vitamin C and Vitamin E are able to minimize biological damage caused by oxygen-derived free radicals. THE ANTIOXIDANT NETWORK It used to be thought that Vitamin E and Vitamin C worked independently to destroy free radicals and were sacrificed [lost] in the process. But, it has been discovered that Vitamin C and E not only interact directly with free radicals but also can react with other redox-based antioxidant substances to become restored to their useful “reduced” state. These interconnected “Redox Cycles” involving Vitamin E and C form an antioxidant network which is the main line of defense against TOXICITY due to free radical reactions within the body.
Posted on: Sat, 09 Aug 2014 00:34:28 +0000