Did you Know?

APRIL 2019

FACT1

FACT 2

Oxygen molecules are not free radicals.

A free radical is any atom or molecule containing an unpaired electron. The 'simplest' free radical is a hydrogen atom.

Oxygen is very unusual in that the molecule can accept an additional electron to form the superoxide anion. We cannot exist without this property of oxygen which is regulated by hypoxia - that is a lack of oxygen. For example it is the basis of microbial killing by leucocytes - white blood cells. On present evidence it is this property of leucocytes which is misdirected when the inflammatory response is activated inappropriately by hypoxia.

FACT 3