Oxidative Status in Multiple Sclerosis and Off-Targets of Antioxidants: The Case of Edaravone

Methods: We undertook a structured search of bibliographic databases for peer-reviewed research literature focusing on OS in MS. The contents of the selected papers were described in the context of a conceptual framework. A special emphasis was given to the results of our study in the field.

Background: MS is a chronic inflammatory disease of the CNS leading to demyelination and neurodegeneration, with a complex and still to be clarified aetiology. Several data, coming from patients' samples and from animal models, show that Oxidative Status (OS) plays an important role in MS pathogenesis. Overproduction of reactive oxidative species by macrophages/ microglia can bring about cellular injury and ensuing cell death by oxidizing cardinal cellular components. Oxidized molecules are present in active MS lesions and are associated with neurodegeneration.