Hydroxyl Radical and Its Detection Methods

Under physiological and pathological conditions, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) are formed from both exogenous and endogenous sources. ROS are implicated in a wide number of disease processes, including atherosclerosis, autoimmune disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, neuronal degeneration, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Among the reactive oxygen species produced in living cells, hydroxyl radical is the most active and strongest oxidant agent, and can react with almost any substance at its diffusion rate. When hydroxyl radicals are generated in excess or the cellular antioxidant defense is deficient, they can stimulate free radical chain reactions by interacting with proteins, lipids and nucleic acids, causing cellular damage. Therefore, confident analytical approaches are needed to ascertain the importance of hydroxyl radicals in biological systems. Until now, several effective methods have been established.