Reactive oxygen species are the intermediates that are formed during the normal metabolic process which are effectively neutralized by the antioxidant system of the body. Any imbalance in this neutralization process causes oxidative stress which has been implicated as one of the cause in diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular disorders, cancer etc. Research has enabled the use of antioxidants as therapeutic agents in the treatment of various diseases. Literature also puts forth the negative effects of using antioxidants in the treatment of diseases. This review is a compilation of both the beneficial and detrimental effects of use of antioxidants in the treatment of diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and oral diseases.

Natural phytochemicals and their derivatives are good drug candidates for anticancer therapeutic approaches against multiple targets. We report here the initial findings from our studies on the anticancer properties of the leaves of the medicinal plantSesbania grandiflora. In the current study, five different solvent fractions from the leaves ofS. grandiflorawere tested on cancer cell lines such as MCF-7, HepG2, Hep-2, HCT-15, and A549. The methanolic fraction ofS. grandiflorawas found to exert potent antiproliferative effects especially in the human lung cancer cell line, A549. Caspase 3 was activated in the methanolic fraction treated A549 cells thereby leading to cell death by apoptosis. DAPI staining, DNA laddering, and decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential further confirmed the apoptotic mode of cell death. The high levels of ROS intermediates as evidenced by DCF-DA staining could have played a role in the apoptotic induction. Decrease in levels of cyclin D1 and decrease in the activation of NFkB were observed in A549 cells on treatment with methanolic fraction, giving a hint on the possible mechanism of action. These results prove that the medicinal plantS. grandifloracan be explored further for promising candidate molecules to combat cancer, especially lung cancer.

Alcohol use is contributing to an unprecedented decline in life expectancy. Damage to the liver after ethanol administration is a well-known phenomenon. Free radical mechanisms have been proposed to play a part in ethanol-induced liver toxicity. Ingestion of diets rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) along with alcohol is known to result in enhanced liver damage. The present work is aimed at evaluating the protective role of ferulic acid, a naturally occurring plant component, on alcohol- and PUFA-induced liver toxicity. Three different doses of ferulic acid (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg of body weight) were administered to rats given alcohol, heated PUFA (ΔPUFA), and alcohol + ΔPUFA. Influence of ferulic acid on alcohol-and PUFA-induced liver damage was evaluated by analyzing the activities of the liver marker enzymes alkaline phosphatase, γ-glutamyl transferase, alanine transaminase, and aspartate transaminase. The activities of these liver marker enzymes were increased in the alcohol, ΔPUFA, and alcohol + ΔPUFA groups but were decreased significantly on treatment with ferulic acid. The low dose (10 mg/kg of body weight) was not effective, but both 20 mg and 40 mg/kg of body weight were found to be effective. The 20 mg/kg of body weight dose was found to be more effective than 40 mg/kg of body weight (the high dose). The administration of ferulic acid to normal rats did not produce any harmful effects. Thus our results show that ferulic acid is an effective anti-hepatotoxic agent without side effects and may be a good candidate in the current search for a natural hepatoprotective agent.