Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are obligatory byproducts of aerobic metabolism and thus are generated continuously in humans and other organisms. Humans are also exposed to ROS from exogenous/environmental sources such as pollution, sunlight and diet. While there are different chemical forms of ROS, they all produce deleterious actions on the structure and function of cellular constituents and macromolecules. The intensity of ROS generation/exposure is termed oxidative stress.
Oxidative stress is associated with the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory diseases such as diabetes, cancer, atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases as well as with degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Moreover, multiple lines of evidence support the view that oxidative stress is a central mechanism underlying normal aging. Accordingly, a need exists to develop treatments to inhibit oxidative stress.