Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 3 complete abstracts (643 words), 9 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
Naturally occurring or synthetic substances that inhibit or retard oxidation reactions. They counteract the damaging effects of oxidation in animal tissues.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Anti-Oxidant; Anti Oxidant; Anti-Oxidants; Anti Oxidants; Antioxidant; Antioxidant Effect; Antioxidant Effects; Anti-Oxidant Effect.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Biological Factors; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Protective Agents
- Narrower topics
- Free Radical Scavengers
- See also
- Pharmaceutic Aids; Oxidative Stress; Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 206,435 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Antioxidants” (counts retrieved 2026-10-29). 72,708 of them (35.2%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is 2010-2019 with 74,323 records.
Reviews account for 25,191 records (12.2%) and meta-analyses for 856. Randomized controlled trials number 5,057 (2.4%) as a share of all records on the topic.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 16,015 |
| 2000-2009 | 43,389 |
| 2010-2019 | 74,323 |
| 2020 onward | 72,708 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 25,191 | 12.2% |
| Meta-analyses | 856 | 0.4% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 5,057 | 2.4% |
Method: PubMed query "Antioxidants"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-29.
Reading the evidence in pharmacology
Drug evidence builds in layers: laboratory pharmacology describes how a compound acts, pharmacokinetic studies describe how the body handles it, and randomized trials test whether it helps and what harms it causes. Post-marketing surveillance and observational studies reveal rarer adverse effects but cannot prove causation. This page is educational and is not a recommendation to start, stop or change any medicine; decisions about treatment belong with a qualified clinician.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought modulates ozone stress through BVOCs, antioxidant defenses, and metabolic responses in a tropical tree | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 2 | cc by PMID 42477286 · DOI · PMC13384984 |
| Biochar-biostimulant combinations enhance nodulation, yield, and antioxidant defense in mungbean under reduced NPK fertilization | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 42533028 · DOI · PMC13424373 |
| Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Strategies in Epilepsy: From Molecular Mechanisms to Threshold Management | 2026 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 42589265 · DOI · PMC13466846 |
Drought modulates ozone stress through BVOCs, antioxidant defenses, and metabolic responses in a tropical tree [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Main conclusionWater limitation attenuated ozone-induced oxidative stress in Eugenia uniflora, maintaining physiological stability and promoting targeted biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) and metabolic adjustments rather than large-scale disruption.
- Closing excerpt
- uniflora maintained physiological stability while adjusting volatile emissions and metabolic pathways under concurrent stress, providing new insights into the mechanisms governing drought-ozone interactions in tropical trees.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (276 words)
Main conclusionWater limitation attenuated ozone-induced oxidative stress in Eugenia uniflora, maintaining physiological stability and promoting targeted biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) and metabolic adjustments rather than large-scale disruption. Tropical forests are increasingly exposed to multiple environmental stressors, yet the combined effects of drought and ozone on native tropical tree species remain poorly understood. We investigated the individual and interactive effects of water limitation and ozone exposure on Eugenia uniflora saplings using an integrated physiological, biochemical, metabolomic, and biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emission approach. Saplings were subjected to four treatments: control, drought, ozone fumigation, and combined drought-ozone. Drought was imposed by withholding irrigation for ten days, while ozone exposure (80-120 ppb) was applied for six days, reaching a cumulative AOT40 of 930.7 ppb h. Despite reductions in soil moisture, no significant changes were observed in leaf relative water content, gas exchange, or photosynthetic pigment, indicating high physiological resilience. Ozone exposure alone induced depletion of antioxidant pools, reducing ascorbate and glutathione concentrations, while redox ratios remained stable. BVOC emissions comprised 15 compounds across five chemical classes, dominated by oxygenated sesquiterpenes and sesquiterpenes. Although total emission rates did not differ among treatments, multivariate analyses revealed shifts in BVOC composition, including methyl salicylate and β-ocimene under water limitation and farnesane under combined stress. Metabolomic profiling revealed coordinated adjustments in sugars, amino acids, and oleanolic acid associated with ozone exposure. Notably, antioxidant depletion observed under ozone alone was not detected under combined stress, suggesting a non-additive interaction between water limitation and ozone. Overall, E. uniflora maintained physiological stability while adjusting volatile emissions and metabolic pathways under concurrent stress, providing new insights into the mechanisms governing drought-ozone interactions in tropical trees.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42477286 · DOI · PMC13384984
Biochar-biostimulant combinations enhance nodulation, yield, and antioxidant defense in mungbean under reduced NPK fertilization [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Reducing mineral fertilizer inputs while maintaining crop productivity is a central challenge for sustainable grain legume production.
- Closing excerpt
- fluorescens supplementation as a promising strategy for sustaining mungbean productivity under reduced NPK input, warranting further field validation for broader applicability.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (193 words)
Reducing mineral fertilizer inputs while maintaining crop productivity is a central challenge for sustainable grain legume production. This study evaluated whether biochar-biostimulant combinations could improve mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) performance under reduced NPK fertilization. A polytunnel pot experiment was conducted using a completely randomized 2 × 4 factorial design with two NPK levels, 100% and 50% of the recommended dose, and four treatments: biochar alone, biochar + humic acid, biochar + Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, and biochar + Pseudomonas fluorescens. Biostimulant addition to biochar improved plant growth, pigment status, and antioxidant response, with the strongest responses observed under reduced NPK supply. Under 50% NPK, biochar + P. fluorescens increased grain yield by approximately 90% compared with biochar alone and maintained grain yield (4.00 g plant⁻¹) comparable to the 100% NPK biochar-only control (3.85 g plant⁻¹). It also enhanced nodulation, increased total chlorophyll by approximately 60%, and reduced malondialdehyde by approximately 50%. Grain weight was positively associated with nodule number and ascorbic acid content and negatively associated with H₂O₂ content. These findings support biochar-assisted P. fluorescens supplementation as a promising strategy for sustaining mungbean productivity under reduced NPK input, warranting further field validation for broader applicability.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42533028 · DOI · PMC13424373
Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Strategies in Epilepsy: From Molecular Mechanisms to Threshold Management [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Epilepsy is a multifactorial disorder, yet routine management still focuses on neuronal excitation and insufficient inhibition, with antiseizure medications (ASMs) as the primary therapeutic strategy.
- Closing excerpt
- Together, these proposals reframe epilepsy management from sequential pharmacological trials toward coordinated optimization of the full seizure threshold landscape.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (174 words)
Epilepsy is a multifactorial disorder, yet routine management still focuses on neuronal excitation and insufficient inhibition, with antiseizure medications (ASMs) as the primary therapeutic strategy. This approach fails in roughly one-third of patients who develop drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). Converging evidence links DRE with neuroinflammation, oxidative stress (OS), and mitochondrial dysfunction-an interconnected distal pathophysiological triad that progressively lowers seizure thresholds yet remains peripheral to clinical epilepsy management. We map this triad mechanistically and show that ASMs modulate it beyond their anticonvulsant activity, while triad-targeting pharmacological, dietary, and botanical interventions independently reduce seizure susceptibility. Common precipitants are reinterpreted as acute activators of the distal triad, linking precipitant identification and patient agency to threshold elevation. Integrating these elements, we propose a threshold management framework for DRE, built on a revised reservoir model, and translate it into three structural priorities: mechanistic phenotyping to stratify patients by pathophysiological domain, dual-mechanism drug development, and trial designs suited to multicomponent, context-dependent interventions. Together, these proposals reframe epilepsy management from sequential pharmacological trials toward coordinated optimization of the full seizure threshold landscape.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42589265 · DOI · PMC13466846
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Antioxidant supplements for prevention of gastrointestinal cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis [4]
- Research article Dietary intake and blood concentrations of antioxidants and the risk of cardiovascular disease, total cancer, and all-cause mortality: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies [5]
- Research article Dietary flavonoids and cancer risk: evidence from human population studies [6]
- Research article Higher antioxidant and lower cadmium concentrations and lower incidence of pesticide residues in organically grown crops: a systematic literature review and meta-analyses [7]
- Research article The Antioxidant Effect of Exercise: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis [8]
- Research article Effects of Quercetin on Blood Pressure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials [9]
References
- Anselmo-Moreira F, Claude A, do Nascimento A, da Costa BRB, Hurtado-Caceres I, Rocco M, et al.. Drought modulates ozone stress through BVOCs, antioxidant defenses, and metabolic responses in a tropical tree. . 2026. PMID 42477286 · DOI · PMC13384984
- Amin M, Sani MNH, Rahman MM, Akter S, Mahabub MR, Mohsin SM, et al.. Biochar-biostimulant combinations enhance nodulation, yield, and antioxidant defense in mungbean under reduced NPK fertilization. . 2026. PMID 42533028 · DOI · PMC13424373
- Trofimov A, Shcherbakova K, Schwarz A, Akbay B, Karapina O, Myrkhiyeva Z, et al.. Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Strategies in Epilepsy: From Molecular Mechanisms to Threshold Management. . 2026. PMID 42589265 · DOI · PMC13466846
- Bjelakovic G, Nikolova D, Simonetti RG, Gluud C. Antioxidant supplements for prevention of gastrointestinal cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet. 2004. PMID 15464182 · DOI
- Aune D, Keum N, Giovannucci E, Fadnes LT, Boffetta P, Greenwood DC, et al.. Dietary intake and blood concentrations of antioxidants and the risk of cardiovascular disease, total cancer, and all-cause mortality: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies. Am J Clin Nutr. 2018. PMID 30475962 · DOI · PMC6250988
- Neuhouser ML. Dietary flavonoids and cancer risk: evidence from human population studies. Nutr Cancer. 2004. PMID 15572291 · DOI
- Barański M, Srednicka-Tober D, Volakakis N, Seal C, Sanderson R, Stewart GB, et al.. Higher antioxidant and lower cadmium concentrations and lower incidence of pesticide residues in organically grown crops: a systematic literature review and meta-analyses. Br J Nutr. 2014. PMID 24968103 · DOI · PMC4141693
- de Sousa CV, Sales MM, Rosa TS, Lewis JE, de Andrade RV, Simões HG. The Antioxidant Effect of Exercise: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Med. 2017. PMID 27260682 · DOI
- Serban MC, Sahebkar A, Zanchetti A, Mikhailidis DP, Howard G, Antal D, et al.. Effects of Quercetin on Blood Pressure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. J Am Heart Assoc. 2016. PMID 27405810 · DOI · PMC5015358
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-29.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.