If α-tocopherol alone is added in excess, this may potentially protect cellular lipids from oxidative damage, but SecTRAPs are probably less likely to induce tocopheryl radicals by direct interactions, while in contrast a direct reaction with ascorbic acid is indeed plausible.
Highly unsaturated fatty acids are more sensitive to oxidative damage, therefore a lower level of unsaturation may not only protect cellular membranes from reactive oxygen species (ROS) damage but may also protect molecules within the cell (reviewed in [ 48]).
These results suggest that the interaction between PCr and membrane phospholipids may not only protect cellular membranes against various insults but could also have implications for many physiological membrane-related functions that are relevant for health and disease.
Different enzymatic and non-enzymatic scavengers of ROS, may protect the cellular system from the deleterious effects of the oxidative stress [ 16, 17].
These observations may have potential therapeutic applications to preserve and protect cellular and tissue function in clinical conditions.
At higher Si concentration (2000 ng/mL) did not protect cellular viability and this could be because Si may be toxic at high concentrations.
The obtained in the present study data can be satisfactorily explained by the cited above ability of carnosine to protect cellular and tissue structures from aldehydes, which in excess may be toxic because of the nonenzymatic glycosylation of proteins.
Cr itself may also act as a direct and/or indirect anti-oxidant, while PCr can interact with and protect cellular membranes.
Overload of free radicals may, however, lead to oxidative damage, therefore, it is of great importance for either exogenous or endogenous antioxidants to scavenge the abundant free radicals to protect cellular DNA, proteins and lipid membranes.
It is thought that dietary antioxidants can enhance cellular defense and help to protect cellular components against oxidation damage.
