Natural Phytochemicals as Novel Therapeutic Strategies to Prevent and Treat Parkinson’s Disease: Current Knowledge and Future Perspectives

Figure 2

Oxidative stress and its implications in the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration in PD. When the production of ROS generation overwhelms intracellular antioxidant defenses, brain cells are exposed to oxidative stress, which may lead to mitochondrial dysfunction and further ROS production. Oxidative stress impairs the protein degradation system and hinders the clearance and results in the subsequent deposition of misfolded protein, which in turn results in lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, and DNA damage, leading to neuronal death. These events constitute the pathological basis of PD. CAT: catalase; SOD: superoxide dismutase; GPx: glutathione peroxidase; GSH: glutathione; MDA: malondialdehyde; 8-OHdG: 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine.