Chondroitin sulphate: antioxidant properties and beneficial effects.

Most biological molecules exhibit more than one function. In particular, many molecules have the ability to directly/indirectly scavenge free radicals and thus act in living organisms as antioxidant. During oxidative stress, the increase of these molecules levels seems to be a biological response that in synergism with the other antioxidant defence systems may protect cells from oxidation. Among these structures, chondroitin sulphate is a biomolecule which has increasingly focused the interest of many research groups due to its antioxidant activity. This review briefly summarises the action of chondroitin sulphate in reducing molecular damage caused by free radicals and associated oxygen reactants.