Natural Food Antioxidants and Oxidative Stress

Oxidative stress takes place when the production of oxidants exceeds the antioxidant capacityof the body system and plays a role in the pathogenesis of several chronic diseases such asdiabetes, cardiovascular diseases, stroke, renal failure, and other disorders likeneurodegeneration. Antioxidants such as vitamin E, vitamin C, and flavanones, can improveantioxidant capacity in the body. Investigations show that several components includingflavanones, isoflavanones, and other antioxidants that can improve antioxidants in blood and,so, can prevent chronic diseases. Tea, sesame seed, and burdock root (Arctiumlappaliune) arethe important and effective herbal components in this regard. It has been shown that totalextract of black tea and its fractions can increase antioxidants such as Super Oxide Dismutase(SOD), Glutathione Peroxides (GPX) and total antioxidants and can decrease oxidants likemalondialdehyde (MDA). So, these herbal compounds can improve oxidative stress indiabetes rats. In one study, using sesame seeds in arthritis improved the antioxidant capacity;therefore, it decreased pain in the mentioned patients. Burdock root, in arthritis patients,improved the antioxidant capacity and decreased the intensity of the pain. It can be concludedthat the positive effects of these herbal components are due to the presence of antioxidants.The aim of this study is to review the antioxidant capacity of tea, sesame seed, and burdockroot, as well as to discuss their biological effects in human beings

Natural Food Antioxidants and Oxidative Stress Keywords:

Oxidative Stress , antioxidants , herbal components , tea , sesame seed , burdock root