The role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of skin aging

There are many theories explaining the causes of aging: evolution, mitochondrial theory, protein glycosylation, DNA damage, error accumulation, Hayflick's limit and telomere theory, Dielman's ontogenetic theory, immunological theory. One of the main ones - the theory of oxidative stress (free radicals - FR) - was first formulated in the 1950s by D. Harman, who put forward a hypothesis according to which there are some general mechanisms that are modified by genetic and non-genetic factors and lead to the accumulation in the body of age of endogenous active molecules - FR of oxygen. Biologists considered the American's hypothesis too simple to explain such a complex process as aging. For a while, the theory was forgotten, but it was returned to in 1972, when new data appeared. Over the next 50 years, a huge amount of experimental material was accumulated, confirming the participation of free radicals in aging.

Many works, including those of a review nature, have been published on various aspects of the problem. At the same time, it should be noted that due to the complexity and diversity of the chemistry/biochemistry of active forms and oxygen radicals, the system of general and private ideas about the biochemical mechanisms of the functioning of the pro- and antioxidant systems of the human body in conditions of normality and pathology is still in the stage of formation.

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