[The role of oxidative stress in development of diabetic angiopathies]

Oxidative stress is an imbalance between free radicals production and lipid peroxidation on the one hand, and the activity of antioxidant systems (enzymatic and non-enzymatic) on the other hand. It seems that oxidative stress may cause the development and complications of several diseases including diabetes, atherosclerosis, neoplasms, inflammation, hypertension etc. Prooxidant--antioxidant imbalance in diabetes may be due to non-enzymatic protein glycation, glucose autooxidation, increased sorbitol pathway, decreased activity of antioxidant enzymes and depletion of some non-enzymatic scavengers. It seems that we may partially diminish the development and progression of diabetic angiopathies decreasing oxidative stress by means of scavengers supplementation, use of hypotensive drugs with antioxidant properties and antidiabetic oral agents with antiperoxidative activity.