Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is an antioxidant metalloenzyme existing in organisms. It can catalyze the disproportionation of superoxide anion free radicals to produce oxygen and hydrogen peroxide, which plays a vital role in the balance between oxidation and antioxidation and is closely related to the occurrence and development of many diseases.
This enzyme is widely distributed and has been isolated from bacteria, fungi, algae, plants, protozoa, insects, fish and mammals. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is very stable, and the SOD of bovine red blood cells is rarely inactivated when heated at 75℃ for a few minutes, and it is also stable to acid and alkali, and can react in the range of pH 5.3 ~ 10.5. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) has anti-oxidation and anti-aging effects, and its mechanism is mainly to scavenge superoxide anion radical (O__) which is harmful to the body.
The high efficiency of superoxide dismutase seems to be necessary: even at the sub-nanometer molar concentration of high concentration of SOD in cells, superoxide will inactivate aconitase, a citric acid circulating enzyme, thus poisoning energy metabolism and releasing potentially toxic iron.