Antioxidant Activity of African Medicinal Plants

doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-405927-6.00021-7

Medicinal Plant Research in Africa

Pharmacology and Chemistry

2013, Pages 787-803

https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-405927-6.00021-7 Get rights and content

An antioxidant is any substance which, when present at low concentrations compared with those of an oxidizable substrate, significantly delays or prevents oxidation of substrate. At low or moderate concentrations, reactive oxygen species (ROS) exert beneficial effects on cellular responses and immune function. At high levels, however, free radicals and oxidants generate oxidative stress, a deleterious process that can damage cell structures, including lipids, proteins, and DNA. Cellular damage or oxidative injury arising from ROS now appears to be the fundamental mechanism underlying a number of human pathologies such as neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, inflammation, viral infections, autoimmune diseases, and digestive system disorders. Scientific evidence suggests that ROS can be neutralized through chemoprevention using medicinal plants and foods. Based on the historical success of natural products, a number of medicinal plants have been evaluated for their antioxidant potential. Thus, this chapter is an attempt to review African medicinal plants that have been validated as having antioxidant properties.

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