Uric acid-iron ion complexes. A new aspect of the antioxidant functions of uric acid

In order to survive in an oxygen environment, aerobic organisms have developed numerous mechanisms to protect against oxygen radicals and singlet oxygen. One such mechanism, which appears to have attained particular significance during primate evolution, is the direct scavenging of oxygen radicals, singlet oxygen, oxo-haem oxidants and hydroperoxyl radicals by uric acid. In the present paper we demonstrate that another important ‘antioxidant’...