Oxidative stress and diabetes

Diabetes is a devastating disease throughout the world. It is associated with several mechanisms, one of which is oxidative stress. Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis and the complications of diabetes. Hyperglycemia results in overproduction of oxygen free radicals, which contributes to the progression of diabetes. The development of complications during diabetes is also associated with oxidative stress. The cardiovascular complications, such as coronary artery diseases, peripheral vascular disease, and cerebrovascular disease, have been closely related to oxidative damage. The neurodegenerative disease as Alzheimer’s disease has also been related to oxidative stress during diabetes. Consequently, antioxidant treatments have been proposed to be prospective in the treatment of diabetes. For example, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione, vitamins A, C, and E, catalase, and enzyme superoxide dismutase have been found t! o prevent the progression of diabetes and the occurrence of complications resulted from diabetes. In addition, physical exercise and insulin therapy can also improve diabetes through the reduction of oxidative stress.