Fatemeh Jamshidi-kia
1 
, Joko Priyanto Wibowo
2, 3 , Mostafa Elachouri
4, 5 , Rohollah Masumi
6 , Alizamen Salehifard-Jouneghani
7 , Zohreh Abolhasanzadeh
8 , Zahra Lorigooini
8* 1 Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran
2 Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Muhammadiyah Banjarmasin, Banjarmasin, Indonesia
3 Chemical and Pharmaceutical Biology Department, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
4 Mohammed First University, Sciences Faculty, Laboratory of Physiology, Genetic and Ethnopharmacology, Oujda, Morocco
5 Award CV Raman International Fellowship for African Research 2010
6 Department of Internal Medicine, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
7 Department of Pediatrics, Clinical Research Development Unit, Hajar Hospital, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
8 Medical Plants Research Center, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
Abstract
Free radicals are constructed by natural physiological activities in the human cells as well as in the environment. They may be produced as a result of diet, smoking, exercise, inflammation, exposure to sunlight, air pollutants, stress, alcohol and drugs. Imbalanced redox status may lead to cellular oxidative stress, which can damage the cells of the body, resulting in an incidence of various diseases. If the endogenous antioxidants do not stop the production of reactive metabolites, they will be needed to bring about a balance in redox status. Natural antioxidants, for example plants, play an important part in this context. This paper seeks to report the available evidence about oxidative stress and the application of plants as antioxidant agents to fight free radicals in the human body. For this purpose, to better understand oxidative stress, the principles of free radical production, the role of free radicals in diseases, antioxidant defense mechanisms, and the role of herbs and diet in oxidative stress are discussed.
Implication for health policy/practice/research/medical education:
This review highlights the available evidence about oxidative stress and the application of plants as antioxidant agents to fight free radicals in the human body. Also, the role of free radicals in diseases, antioxidant defense mechanisms, and the role of herbs and diet in oxidative stress were discussed.
Please cite this paper as: Jamshidi-Kia F, Wibowo JP, Elachouri M, Masumi R, Salehi Jouneghani A, Abolhassanzadeh Z, et al. Battle between plants as antioxidants with free radicals in human body. J Herbmed Pharmacol. 2020;9(3):191-199. doi: 10.34172/ jhp.2020.25.