Abstract
Reactive oxygen species derived from molecular oxygen are highly reactive metabolites.
These species can be generated by cellular or acellular mechanisms. They react with
biological molecules such as protein, lipid, and carbohydrates. The reaction of these
species with lipids, called lipid peroxidation, is a very well-studied phenomenon.
Compounds, which scavenge these molecules, are called antioxidants. The disruption
of the delicate balance between pro- and antioxidants has been implicated in the pathophysiology
of many chronic diseases such as, for example, atherosclerosis. This article presents
an introduction to what reactive oxygen species are and their reactions with various
metabolites. It deals with lipid peroxidation in detail and with methods for measuring
lipid peroxidation. This article also outlines the importance these species in the
pathology of various gynecological diseases.
Keywords:
Free radicals - peroxidation - prooxidants - oxidative stress
