ANTIOXIDANT

Antioxidant

An antioxidant is a molecule that inhibits the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons or hydrogen from a substance to an oxidizing agent. Oxidation reactions can produce free radicals. In turn, these radicals can start chain reactions. When the chain reaction occurs in a cell, it can cause damage or death to the cell. Antioxidants terminate these chain reactions by removing free radical intermediates, and inhibit other oxidation reactions. They do this by being oxidized themselves, so antioxidants are often reducing agents such as thiols, ascorbic acid, or polyphenols.

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antioxidant

Noun

  1. Any substance that acts to slow or prevent the oxidation of another chemical.
  2. In nutrition, one of a group of vitamins that act against the effects of free radicals.

Adjective

  1. Acting or having agents that act against oxidation.


The above text is a snippet from Wiktionary: antioxidant
and as such is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

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