Free Radicals And Iron

This concise monograph describes a variety of important reactions of iron in biological free-radical reactions. It presents both a chemical and a biochemical perspective of the topic, but at the same time unifies ideas where possible. Iron plays a key role in biological life processes, as acatalayst enabling us to use oxygen to generate the heat and chemical energy that drives life. When iron is not properly controlled within the body it can cause damage by making free radicals. The authors present a chemical and biomedical perspective of how reactions of iron complexes and freeradicals may contribute to human health and disease, especially in reactions of oxygen and hydrogen peroxide.

"This latest edition has been comprehensively rewritten and updated (over 80% of the text is new), whilst maintaining the clarity of its predecessor. There is expanded coverage of isoprostanes and related compounds, mechanisms of oxidative damage to DNA and proteins (and the repair of such damage), the free radical theory of ageing and the roles played by reactive species in signal transduction, cell death, human reproduction, and other important biological events. Greater emphasis has also been placed on the methods available to measure reactive species and oxidative damage (and their potential pitfalls), as well as the importance of antioxidants in the human diet." "This book is recommended as a comprehensive introduction to the field for students, clinicians and researchers, and an invaluable companion to all those interested in the role of free radicals in the life and medical sciences."--BOOK JACKET.

Iron and Human Disease is the first book to cover the three key aspects of human iron metabolism: the accumulation of iron in adults, iron as a limiting factor for tumor and infectious cell growth, and iron as a catalyst for oxygen free radical production. The book describes the hypotheses and findings related to the role of iron in cardiovascular disease (including reperfusion injury), cancer, aging, and autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases. Other topics covered include the molecular biology and biochemistry of iron, the general principles governing iron balance, iron in the immune system and acute phase response, and new preventive and therapeutic strategies. Iron and Human Disease will be a useful reference for biomedical investigators, physicians, nutritionists, and public health officials.

An International Syaposiua on Free Radicals in Diagnostic Medicine was co-sponsored by the state University of New York at Buffalo, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, and the Upstate NY Section of the American Association of Clinical Chemistry. The theme was "A Systems Approach To Laboratory Technology, Clinical Correlations And Antioxidant Therapy." The symposium was held on October 7-8, 1993 at the Hyatt Hotel and on October 9 at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York. This proceedings volume contains chapters from platform presentations, poster sessions and from invited special lectures in the areas of basic science, clinical applications and efficacy of treatment. A Special Lecture on the relevance of free radical analysis to clinical medicine was presented by Professor Kunio Yagi of Japan. The Yagi procedure to measure thiobarbituric acid (TBA) reaction reflects the amount of reactive substances, lipid peroxides and aldehydes, in the sample. For example, normal subjects will have less than 4 nmol/ml of serum lipid peroxides, while a person with diabetes generally has equal or greater than 5.0 and a diabetic person with vascular complications often exceeds 7.5 nmol/ml. Serum TBA is a clinically important measure that relates to aging, gender and estrogen as an antioxidant, in the prognosis for vascular disorders, and in pathological conditions relative to the amount of lipid peroxidation. The BASIC SCIENCES portion of the program examined: "Mechanisms of Action, Pathophysiology and Laboratory Tests" in six presentations.

Free radical species are generally short-lived due to their high reactivity and thus direct measurement and identification are often impossible. ESR is the only technique which has the potential for direct detection of radicals but in biological systems even these must be trapped by a spin-trapping agent. Thus most investigations involve recognition of indicators of the presence of radicals in vivo or "FOOTPRINTS" of radical-mediated damage. Techniques in Free Radical Research assembles and critically assesses the most relevant and reliable experimental approaches used towards the measurement of radicals and radical-mediated damage in chemical systems, in cells and in tissues under the following six headings: a) Footprints of DNA damage, b) Footprints of protein damage, c) Footprints of lipid peroxidation, d) Footprints of antioxidant consumption, e) Footprints via indirect radical assays, and f) Footprints via the availability of transition metal complexes.

This work offers an analysis of the biological processes mediated by free radicals, from a toxicological point of view, providing easy access to information in an integrated, coherent presentation. The chemistry and biochemistry of all principal types of radical are explained, and the multiple forms in whch radicals participate in living organisms are investigated.;This work should be of use to biochemists, pharmacologists, pharmaceutical researchers, food scientists and technologists, nutritionists, toxicologists, chemists, biologists and graduate students in these disciplines.

There has been an explosion of research related to free radicals and antioxidants in recent years, and hundreds of laboratories worldwide are actively involved in many as pects of free radicals, oxidative stress, and antioxidants. The literature on these topics in creases exponentially every year. Over the last few years, we have been fortunate to witness a widespread recognition of the important role of free radicals in a wide variety of pathological conditions including diseases such as atherosclerosis, cardiovascular and neurological diseases, ischemia, emphysema, diabetes, radiation injury, cancer, etc. In ad dition, many laboratories are studying the role of free radicals in the inexorable process of aging. Increased evidence involves free radicals with the etiology of various diseases, thereby suggesting the use of antioxidants as a viable therapeutic approach for the treat ment of free radical mediated pathologies. Despite these impressive developments, many important aspects of free radical and antioxidant research are open for investigation. It is important to understand the overall mechanisms involved in free radical mediated physiological and pathological conditions. This knowledge will undoubtedly lead to the development of new therapeutic approaches to prevent or control free radical related diseases. This book contains the proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute (ASI) on "Free Radicals, Oxidative Stress, and Antioxidants: Pathological and Physiological Sig nificance," which was held in Antalya, Turkey from May 24-June 4, 1997.

The use of antioxidants in sports is controversial due to existing evidence that they both support and hinder athletic performance. Antioxidants in Sport Nutrition covers antioxidant use in the athlete ́s basic nutrition and discusses the controversies surrounding the usefulness of antioxidant supplementation. The book also stresses how antioxidants may affect immunity, health, and exercise performance. The book contains scientifically based chapters explaining the basic mechanisms of exercise-induced oxidative damage. Also covered are methodological approaches to assess the effectiveness of antioxidant treatment. Biomarkers are discussed as a method to estimate the bioefficacy of dietary/supplemental antioxidants in sports. This book is useful for sport nutrition scientists, physicians, exercise physiologists, product developers, sport practitioners, coaches, top athletes, and recreational athletes. In it, they will find objective information and practical guidance.