Reactive species and diabetes: counteracting oxidative stress to improve health

Oxidative stress is at the very core of metabolism. Reactive species behave as true second messengers that control important cellular functions. However, under pathological conditions, abnormally large concentrations of these species may lead to permanent changes in signal transduction and gene expression. Attenuation of oxidative stress as a way to improve several diseases such as diabetes has flourished as one of the main challenges of research. The lack of evidence to prove the benefits from antioxidant compounds has led to boost these strategies. Inhibition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production through the development of inhibitors against NADPH oxidase and mitochondria offers an alternative approach to conventional antioxidant therapies. There is a need to understand oxidative stress process to implement health-disorder approaches.