Medshotsover 7 years ago

Free Radicals Injury

Free radicals are chemical compounds with unpaired electrons in the valence shell. A cascade is initiated whereby a free radical steals an electron from a cellular molecule, the intial free radical is quenched but has created another free radical, results in cell membrane peroxidation, DNA and protein damage. Causes of free radicals formation are radiation exposure, drug metabolism such as acetaminophen, redox reduction, nitric oxide, copper or iron, reperfusion after anoxia. Degeneration of these free radicals occurs by enzymes such as catalase or superoxide desumtase, or antioxidants such as vitamine A,C, or E.