Oxidative damage can result when the critical balance between
free radical generation and antioxidant defenses is unfavorable.
These oxidative damages could be retarded by endogenous
defense systems such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, and the
glutathione peroxidase system, but these systems are not
completely efficient (Rock et al., 1996). Oxidative damage has
been hypothesized to play a key role in cardiovascular disease,
cancer initiation, cataract formation, the aging process, inflammatory
diseases, and a variety of neurological disorders