OXIDATIVE STRESS INDUCED ULCER PROTECTED BY NATURAL ANTIOXIDANTS: A REVIEW

Abstract

Oxidative stress is caused by an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen and a biological system's ability to readily detoxify the reactive intermediates, which ultimately leads to oxidative deterioration of protein, lipid and DNA. In humans, oxidative stress is involved in pathology of many diseases, such as atherosclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, heart failure, myocardial infarction, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) can be beneficial, as they are used by the immune system as a way to attack and kill pathogens. To counteract oxidative stress, the body produces an armory of antioxidants to defend itself. It's the job of antioxidants to neutralize free radicals that can harm the cells. Body's internal production of antioxidants is not enough to neutralize all the free radicals. It’s a well-known fact that ROS are involved in the aetio-pathogenesis of the inflammatory and ulcerative lesions of the gastrointestinal tract. The present review focuses on the studies where oxidative damage due to stress has been linked causally to loss of cell integrity mainly in peptic ulcer cured by natural antioxidants.