Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is an enzyme that alternately catalyzes the dismutation (or partitioning) of the superoxide (O2−) radical into either ordinary molecular oxygen (O2) or (H2O2). Superoxide is produced as a by-product of oxygen metabolism and, if not regulated, causes many types of cell damage. is also damaging, but less so, and H2O2 is degraded by other enzymes such as catalase. Thus, SOD is an important antioxidant defense in nearly all living cells exposed to oxygen. One exception is Lactobacillus plantarum and related lactobacilli, which use a different mechanism to prevent damage from reactive (O2−).
SOD enzymes deal with the superoxide radical by alternately adding or removing an electron from the superoxide molecules it encounters, thus changing the O2− into one of two less damaging species: either molecular oxygen (O2) (H2O2). This SOD-catalyzed dismutation of superoxide may be written, for Cu,Zn SOD, with the following half-reactions:
Cu2+-SOD + O2− → Cu+-SOD + O2
Cu+-SOD + O2− + 2H+ → Cu2+-SOD + H2O2
The general form, applicable to all the different metal-coordinated forms of SOD, can be written as follows:
M(n+1)+-SOD + O2− → Mn+-SOD + O2
Mn+-SOD + O2− + 2H+ → M(n+1)+-SOD + H2O2.
where M = Cu (n=1) ; Mn (n=2) ; Fe (n=2) ; Ni (n=2).
1) SOD Superoxide Dismutase is a significant effect of sunscreen, light skin darkening is mainly due to oxygen free radical damage, SOD can effectively prevent skin by ionizing radiation (especially UV) damage, which play a sunscreen effect;
2) SOD Superoxide Dismutase for the antioxidant enzyme, can effectively prevent skin aging, freckle, wrinkle;
3) SOD Superoxide Dismutase has significant anti-inflammatory effects, prevention and treatment of skin diseases have a certain effect;
4) SOD Superoxide Dismutase has a preventive role in scar formation.
