Oxidative stress state is involved in the aging process as well as in a vast array of pathological conditions, including atherosclerosis, cardiovascular complications, diabetes, cancer, and neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases. Oxidative stress is characterized by an imbalance in the cellular redox state in favour of a high formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), overcoming the reducing capacity of the human antioxidant defence system, which has the role to eliminate excess ROS production, avoiding the oxidative action of such species on cellular components (nucleic acids, lipids, proteins or carbohydrates) and thereby their resulting adverse effects. .
