Ogawa N
Department of Neuroscience, Okayama University Medical School.
Rinsho Shinkeigaku. 1994 Dec;34(12):1266-8.
Free radicals are species containing unpaired electron, such as superoxide, hydroxyl radical and nitric oxide. The non-radical hydrogen peroxide is easily converted to the free radical during metabolism. These free radicals and hydrogen peroxide are constantly generated in the human and animal bodies and removed by antioxidant defences. Excessive production of free radicals can result in tissue damage, which mainly involves generation of hydroxyl radical and other oxidants in the presence of iron. The brain tissue contains large amount of unsaturated fatty acids and catecholamines, which are thought to be target molecules for free radical-induced peroxidation and neural cell damage, and such free radical-induced cell damage appears to play a major role in the pathogenesis of many neurological diseases.
自由基是含有未配对电子的物质，如超氧化物、羟基自由基和一氧化氮。非自由基的过氧化氢在代谢过程中很容易转化为自由基。这些自由基和过氧化氢在人和动物体内不断产生，并由抗氧化防御机制清除。自由基的过量产生会导致组织损伤，这主要涉及在铁存在的情况下羟基自由基和其他氧化剂的生成。脑组织含有大量不饱和脂肪酸和儿茶酚胺，它们被认为是自由基诱导的过氧化反应和神经细胞损伤的靶分子，而这种自由基诱导的细胞损伤似乎在许多神经疾病的发病机制中起主要作用。
