HERBAL ANTIOXIDANTS - A REVIEW

Reactive oxygen species, circulating in the human body tend to react with the electron of other molecules which may initiate the chain reaction and contribute to adverse health effects in the body. Antioxidants possess anti - inflammatory property, antitumor property, anticarcinoge nic property, antimutagenic property and metal chelating potential which inturn terminates the chain reaction by arresting free radical intermediates. Natural antioxidants derived from plant sources are effective and nontoxic to meet the increasing consume r demands. The present review aims at reviewing (1) the mechanism of oxidation and anti - oxidation; (2) methods available for the measurement of antioxidant capacity (3) the potential source of herbal antioxidants