A situation in which greater amounts of free radicals and reactive forms of oxygen are present than can be utilized or neutralized by an organism, resulting in damage to proteins, lipids, DNA, etc.
Origin
1970s.
Definition of oxidative stress in US English:
oxidative stress
noun
A situation in which greater amounts of free radicals and reactive forms of oxygen are present than can be utilized or neutralized by an organism, resulting in damage to proteins, lipids, DNA, etc.