Catalytic antioxidants for therapeutic medicine

Abstract

Catalytic antioxidants have attracted intensive attention for the therapy of diseases associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS). Based on the structure of the active site of native antioxidative enzymes, numerous catalytic antioxidants have been designed and synthesized for certain catalytic antioxidative activities. Catalytic antioxidants have been shown to exhibit superoxide dismutase activity, peroxynitrite (ONOO⁻)-reduction activity, catalase activity, and glutathione peroxidase activity. Although significant antioxidative activities have been achieved in oxidative stress models in vitro and in vivo, their practical application in humans remains highly challenging, and to date, only a few catalytic antioxidants have reached the stage of clinical testing. Understanding the current status of catalytic antioxidants and related issues would provide inspiration to the development of new methods for the therapy of diseases associated with ROS. Therefore, in this review, we focus on selected studies performed on catalytic antioxidants and their antioxidative activities in vitro and in vivo, and their current status with regard to clinical tests. Also, we mention the future prospects based on the catalytic antioxidative studies reported recently.