Oxidative and nitrosative stress and female reproduction: Roles of oxidants and antioxidants

Oxidative and nitrosative stress and female reproduction: Roles of oxidants and antioxidants DOI: https://doi.org/10.62110/sciencein.jist.2024.v12.754Keywords: female infertility, oocyte quality, oxidative stress, reactive oxygen speciesAbstract Oxidative stress (OS), caused by an imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants in the body, is pivotal in influencing female reproductive health. This review explores the complex interactions of oxidizing agents and antioxidants on female reproductive functions, underscoring their impact on fertility, pregnancy, and reproductive outcomes. Primarily resulting from excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS), OS can detrimentally affect oocyte maturation, embryonic development, and endometrial receptivity. Although ROS naturally arise during cell metabolism, their overproduction or insufficient neutralization can damage cellular macromolecules, including lipids, proteins, and DNA. Such disruptions can lead to ovarian issues, recurrent pregnancy losses, and conditions like endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Conversely, antioxidants, both enzymatic and non-enzymatic, combat excess ROS, promoting cellular balance and reproductive success. Emerging treatments underscore the benefits of boosting antioxidant levels to address OS-related disorders. However, caution is essential due to potential risks of excessive antioxidant intake. The review underscores the critical association between OS and female reproductive functions, suggesting customized therapeutic strategies for improved reproductive outcomes. URN:NBN:sciencein.jist.2024.v12.754 Downloads Downloads Published Issue Section URN License Copyright (c) 2023 Sulagna Dutta, Pallav Sengupta, Emmanuel Izuka, Ifeanyi Menuba, Uchenna Nwagha This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Rights and Permissions All articles published in the journal are licensed under the Creative Commons Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial–NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). Under this license, readers may freely access, read, download, copy, and share the published content for non-commercial purposes, provided that proper attribution is given to the original authors and the original source of publication. Users may not alter, transform, or build upon the published material without prior permission from the copyright holder. Commercial use of the content is also not permitted without formal authorization. Any reuse of the published content must include appropriate citation and acknowledgment of the original publication in this journal. For permissions related to commercial reuse, reproduction, translations, adaptations, or other rights inquiries, authors and readers may contact the Editorial Office at: Email: [email protected] For complete license details, please refer to the official Creative Commons license page for CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.