Engineering Antioxidants with Pharmacological Applications: Biotechnological Perspectives
Mădălina Paraschiv1, Delia Turcov1, Anca Zbranca-Toporaş1
1Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medical Bioengineering, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iasi, 11-13 Kogalniceanu Str., 700454 Iasi, Romania.
Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
|September 27, 2025
Summary
Biotechnology offers sustainable solutions for producing antioxidants to combat oxidative stress and related diseases. This review explores microbial, plant, and enzymatic methods for creating these vital compounds for pharmacological applications.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology and Pharmacology
- Oxidative Stress Research
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Oxidative stress, caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) imbalance, contributes to aging and diseases like cancer and neurodegeneration.
- Antioxidants, crucial for neutralizing free radicals, face limitations with synthetic options, driving interest in biotechnological production.
- Enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants protect cells from damage, but synthetic versions have drawbacks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review biotechnological strategies for engineering antioxidants with pharmacological applications.
- To explore production methods using microbial, enzymatic, and plant-based systems.
- To evaluate the therapeutic potential and mechanisms of bio-engineered antioxidants.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing microbial cell factories for antioxidant production.
- Employing enzyme-driven synthesis and plant cell cultures.
- Applying metabolic engineering for enhanced antioxidant yields.
- Reviewing preclinical and clinical data on bio-engineered antioxidants.
Main Results:
- Successful production of enzymatic antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, catalase) and non-enzymatic compounds (carotenoids, polyphenols) via biotechnology.
- Demonstrated therapeutic potential of bio-engineered antioxidants in disease prevention and treatment.
- Detailed discussion of mechanisms employed by these compounds to combat oxidative stress.
Conclusions:
- Biotechnology presents a sustainable and effective approach to producing diverse antioxidants for health applications.
- Overcoming production scale-up and cost challenges is key for widespread adoption.
- Future research should focus on novel production systems, delivery methods, and bioprospecting for new antioxidant compounds.
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