Ageing:Consequences of Excessive Free Radicals and Inflammation

Free radicals, including reactive oxygen species (ROS) as well as reactive nitrogen species (RNS), and inflammation increase with advancing age. Evidence suggests that oxidative stress and inflammation both lead to impaired vascular function. There is also evidence to suggest that inflammation may cause an increase in radical production leading to enhanced oxidative/nitrosative stress. In addition, higher concentration of free radicals also modulates inflammation by increasing the expression of inflammatory proteins, including cytokines. Although ROS/RNS are predominantly implicated in causing cell damage, they also play a major physiological role in several aspects of intracellular signalling and regulation. ROS/RNS are known to play a dual role in biological systems since they can be either harmful or beneficial to living systems.