CURRENT STATUS OF ANTIOXIDANT THERAPY

There is evidence that free radical damage contributes to the aetiolog y of many chronic health problems such as emphysema, cardiovascular an d inflammatory diseases, cataracts, and cancer. In this review we are not concerned with tissue damage in vivo induced directly by radicals from exogenous sources, such as air pollutants and tobacco smoke, high -pressure oxygen, irradiation, or through the metabolism of certain so lvents, drugs, and pesticides. Rather, we address some of the disease states associated with increased oxidative stress from endogenous sour ces and the possible therapeutic advantage of the antioxidant treatmen t. This raises the question of the antioxidant status of individuals a nd its role in protection against amplification of certain disease pro cesses. We have chosen to concentrate mainly on coronary heart disease , reperfusion injury, and organ storage for transplantation.