**Author details**

*Free Radical Medicine and Biology*

both membrane and aqueous areas.

and unexpected consequences.

**5. Conclusion**

**Acknowledgements**

haptoglobin, uric acid, bilirubin and carotenoids. Further antioxidant vitamins like vitamin C, vitamin E, Vitamin B12 are also considered as protective agents against metal toxicities. Some endogenous and exogenous polyphenolic compounds like flavonoids and ligands are also found to be protective against metal toxicities as antioxidants. Finally, there are specific nuclear repair enzymes, proteases, and other enzymes that constantly target oxidized molecules for catabolism [19]. Antioxidants are intimately capable of protecting cellular damage by interfering

with ROS and stop the free radical due to metal induced chain reactions.

The success of an antioxidant against metal induced oxidative stress depends on its capability to (i) quenching free radicals (ii) chelating redox metals (iii) regenerate some more antioxidants within "antioxidant network", (iv) successfully induce cell signaling to express adaptive genes, (v) readily absorption capability, (vi) must have adequate concentration in tissue and biofluid and (vii) capability to act on

Regarding antioxidant supplementation against metal induced oxidative stress one must remember that higher doses of supplementary antioxidants do not always offer protection against free radicals. It is widely accepted that in a healthy organism there exists a balance between oxidants and various antioxidants. High levels of antioxidants may also disturb oxidant and antioxidant balance with unpredictable

The steps of metal toxicity are as following: liberation of toxic metal > reaction with target molecules > cellular dysfunction > respond to reaction (repair) or (disrepair) > developmental toxicity. Mode of action typically starts with the reaction of metals with target molecules and ends with toxic manifestations and entire these process oxidative stress and oxidant and antioxidant imbalances play a key role.

The corresponding author greatly acknowledges Vision Group of Science and Technology, Government of Karnataka (VGSTKFIST/ 1230/2015-2016 Dated

22/6/2016) for financial assistance under K-FIST, Level.

**6**

Swastika Das1 , Shrilaxmi Bagali<sup>2</sup> , Sayandeep K. Das3 , Aravind V. Patil4 , Ishwar B. Bagoji<sup>5</sup> , Kusal K. Das2 \* and Mallanagouda S. Biradar<sup>6</sup>

1 Department of Chemistry, BLDEA's V.P. Dr. P.G. Halakatti College of Engineering and Technology, Vijayapura, Karnataka, India

2 Laboratory of Vascular Physiology and Medicine, Department of Physiology, Shri B.M. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, BLDE (Deemed to be University), Vijayapura, Karnataka, India

3 Intern, Shri B.M. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, BLDE (Deemed to be University), Vijayapura, Karnataka, India

4 Department of Surgery, Shri B.M. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, BLDE (Deemed to be University), Vijayapura, Karnataka, India

5 Department of Anatomy, Shri B.M. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, BLDE (Deemed to be University), Vijayapura, Karnataka, India

6 Department of Medicine, Shri B.M. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, BLDE (Deemed to be University), Vijayapura, Karnataka, India

\*Address all correspondence to: kusaldas@yahoo.com; kusaldas@bldedu.ac.in

© 2020 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
