Abstract

ROLE OF FREE RADICALS IN PHYSIOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY

*Nanda B. L.

Abstract

Free radicals having unpaired electrons in their outer shell are potent oxidizing or reducing agents against any molecule they happen to contact, making them very toxic in biological systems. ROS such as superoxide radical, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radical and RNS such as nitric oxide and peroxynitrite are helpful in various physiological activities like immune response, cell signalling, synthesis of biological molecules etc but overproduction of the same may cause various free radical mediated diseases like Parkinson disease, Alzhemier disease, arthritis and many more.

Keywords: nitric oxide and peroxynitrite.