Antioxidants
Antioxidants, either exogenous or endogenous, whether synthetic or natural, can be effective in
preventing free radical formation by scavenging them or promoting their decomposition and
suppressing such disorders.[19,20-22] Currently, there is a growing interest toward natural
antioxidants of herbal resources.[23-25] Epidemiological and in vitro studies on medicinal plants
and vegetables strongly supported this idea that plant constituents with antioxidant activity are
capable of exerting protective effects against oxidative stress in biological systems.[26-29] Free
radical formation is controlled naturally by various beneficial compounds known as
antioxidants.[30] In addition to fruits and vegetables, herbs of no particular nutritional value can
also constitute an important source of antioxidants.[31] The leaves from black and green tea
(Camellia sinensis), long used amongst western and Asian populations, respectively, constitute
an important source of potentially health-protecting antioxidants[32,33] and world-wide
represent the most popular form of daily herb consumption