Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Metabolic
Syndrome
Infection
Obesity
Diabetes
Gingivitis
Injury
Arthritis
CVD
Inflammation
Eye
Disorders
Alzheimer's
Disease
Colon
Breast
Lung
Cancers
Ulcerative colitis
Inflammatory
Bowel Disease
Asthma
Allergies
Joint Pain
fIguRe 13.2 Antioxidants are reported to decrease inflammatory responses in many of
these conditions. Thin arrows indicate causative factors of inflammation; thick arrows indi-
cate inflammatory responses, and circles with a slash indicate responses reduced by antioxi-
dants. CVD, cerebrovascular disease.
a trend away from synthetic antioxidants toward natural plant extracts. Rosemary
extract has gained significant use as a natural antioxidant.
While lipid oxidation is well recognized in foods, similar reactions occur in vivo.
Lipid oxidation in vivo has both positive and negative effects. Beneficial effects occur
in vivo when the products of controlled lipid oxidation are used to kill unwanted
bacterial cells in the body. If we have an infection from a wound, lymphocytes are
recruited to the area, and they produce enzymes that oxidize arachidonic acid to
produce radicals that can kill the invading bacteria. This is what occurs when the
body protects itself from infection and is generally regarded as an acute inflamma-
tion. When tissue becomes invaded by foreign substances, such as between a bacteria
and a splinter, the area becomes acutely inflamed. Such inflammations generally
clear up in a few days. We are also prone to chronic inflammation when the produc-
tion of oxidized materials continues for a prolonged period of time, generally at a
lower level. Many diseases and adverse conditions have been associated with chronic
inflammation. Many of these conditions can be mediated by antioxidants, as shown
in Figure 13.2.
a n t i of x i D a n t v i t a m i n s
The “antioxidant” vitamins, vitamins A, C, and E, can be found in a variety of func-
tional foods. Supplementation with vitamin A has been under close scrutiny since
adverse effects of high vitamin A were found in studies with smokers. Recent studies
have demonstrated the benefits of the antioxidant vitamins, particularly as deliv-
ered from fruits and vegetables (Davis, 2008). In the review, Davis discussed the
mechanisms by which the antioxidant vitamins can help prevent cancer. The review
also emphasized the importance of interactions with other components in foods that
appear to produce synergistic effects.
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