The enzymatic and non-enzymatic reaction mechanisms of primary and
secondary defense systems developed by cells to diminish the effects caused by
overproduction of reactive oxygen species-ROS as a metabolic response to the
damaging effects from endogenous and environmental factors are presented here.
Enzymatic reaction mechanisms developed by plants as an antioxidant defense system
are also presented.
Keywords: Antioxidants, Catalase, Coenzyme Q-CoQ, Cu-ZnSOD, Glutathione,
HNE, Plant antioxidant defense, Superoxide dismutase-SOD, Trapping free
radicals, UCPs, Vitamin C, Vitamin E.