Fenton chemistry in biology and medicine*
Josef Prousek
Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak Technical University, Radlinskeho 9, SK-812 37 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Abstract: Various aspects of the participation of Fenton chemistry in biology and medicine are reviewed. Accumulated evidence shows that both hydroxyl radical and ferryl [Fe(IV)=O]2+ can be formed under a variety of Fenton and Fenton-like reactions. Some examples of metal-independent hydroxyl radical production are included. Extracellular Fenton reaction is illustrated by the white rot and brown rot wood-decaying fungi. The natural and practical utilization of catechol-driven Fenton reaction is also presented.
Keywords: Fenton reaction; reactive oxygen species; redox cycling; oxidative stress; free radicals; brown rot fungi; carcinogenesis; extracellular Fenton reaction.
*Invited contribution to a collection of papers for the IUPAC project 2005-042-1-300 "Chemistry for Biology". Other contributions to the project are published in this issue, pp. 2179-2366.