Antioxidants and Cardio Vascular Disease (CVD)
Disturbance in normal functioning of cardiovascular system lead to the activation of body’s protective immune system and various inflammatory processes. All these process lead to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS are usually formed in the cellular region, when molecular oxygen accepts a single unpaired electron and convert into variety of deleterious oxygen species.
A disturbed equilibrium between the relative production of oxidizing agents and endogenous antioxidants lead to a variety of cellular pathologies, collectively termed as “Oxidative Stress”. The aberrant generation of cellular oxidants in cardiac muscles including the blood vessels is usually considered as one of the major mechanism for the development of Cardio Vascular Disease (CVD)
Under normal physiological condition, a “redox homeostasis” is active to maintain a balance between the ROS generation and its neutralization. However, the excessive production of ROS in case of inefficient “redox homeostasis” lead to “oxidative stress” in cells. This leads to the initiation of a “chain process” involving various deleterious consequences such as lipid peroxidation, DNA fragmentation, protein damage and cellular apoptosis. Excessive oxidative stress is mainly involved in the pathophysiology of variety of CVD, such as cardiac failure, ischemia/reperfusion, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis.
Under the condition of oxidative stress, the body’s “antioxidant defense” system usually led to the production of natural antioxidants. These mainly include various enzymatic antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, SOD; glutathione peroxidase, GPx; catalase, CAT) and non-enzymatic antioxidants (Vitamin C, Vitamin E, glutathione). The body’s “antioxidant defense” is usually responsible for the elimination of deleterious oxygen species, under normal physiological circumstances. However, in case of diseased state or debilitated antioxidant defense system, an external supply of antioxidants is necessary to circumvent the oxidative stress and subse- quent generation of CVD.
ANTIOXIDANT THERAPY FOR TREATMENT OF CVD
In case of excessive oxidative stress and diseased state, physiological defense system is weakened and external supply of antioxidants is crucial. A variety of antioxidants from different biological or chemical origin, are available for the therapeutic management of CVD.
