Oxidative stress, driven by reactive oxygen, nitrogen, and sulphur species (ROS, RNS, RSS), poses a significant threat to cellular integrity and human health. Generated during mitochondrial respiration, inflammation, UV exposure and pollution, these species damage cells and contribute to pathologies like cardiovascular issues, neurodegeneration, cancer, and metabolic syndromes. Lifestyle factors exert a substantial influence on oxidative stress levels, with mitochondria emerging as pivotal players in ROS generation and cellular equilibrium. Phytochemicals, abundant in plants, such as carotenoids, ascorbic acid, tocopherols and polyphenols, offer diverse antioxidant mechanisms. They scavenge free radicals, chelate metal ions, and modulate cellular signalling pathways to mitigate oxidative damage. Furthermore, plants thriving in high-altitude regions are adapted to extreme conditions, and synthesize secondary metabolites, like flavonoids and phenolic compounds in bulk quantities, which act to form a robust antioxidant defence against oxidative stress, including UV radiation and temperature fluctuations. These plants are promising sources for drug development, offering innovative strategies by which to manage oxidative stress-related ailments and enhance human health. Understanding and harnessing the antioxidant potential of phytochemicals from high-altitude plants represent crucial steps in combating oxidative stress-induced disorders and promoting overall wellbeing. This study offers a comprehensive summary of the production and physio-pathological aspects of lifestyle-induced oxidative stress disorders and explores the potential of phytochemicals as promising antioxidants. Additionally, it presents an appraisal of high-altitude medicinal plants as significant sources of antioxidants, highlighting their potential for drug development and the creation of innovative antioxidant therapeutic approaches.

Therapeutic potential of medicinal plants as a source of noble natural anti-oxidants and anti-microbial agents has been well recognised all across the globe. In this study, phenolic compounds, in vitro anti-oxidant activity and anti-microbial properties have been investigated in five Himalayan medicinal plants, (e.g., Acorus calamus, Habenaria intermedia, Hedychium spicatum, Roscoea procera and Valeriana jatamansi) in different solvent systems. R. procera exhibited significantly (p < 0.05) higher phenolics; while H. spicatum was rich in flavonoids and V. jatamansi in anti-oxidant activity. Also, R. procera and H. spicatum were found rich in gallic acid; V. jatamansi in catechin, hydroxylbenzoic acid and caffeic acid and H. intermedia in hydroxyl benzoic acid. Solvent systems showed species specific response for extraction of total flavonoids and anti-oxidant activity. All the extracts were found effective against different bacterial and fungal strains in a dose dependent manner and maximum antimicrobial activity was found in R. procera as compared to other species. All the plant extracts showed greater activity against bacterial strains as compared to fungal strains. The results of this study suggest that extract of these species can be used as natural anti-oxidant to reduce free radical mediated disorders and as natural alternative for food preservation.