Pharmacology of free radicals; recent views on their relation to inflammatory mechanisms.

Production of free radicals from molecular oxygen during the inflammatory process can exhibit beneficial effects against the phlogistic stimulus and may act as a defence mechanism. Nevertheless, in many cases this production is associated with toxic reactions related to inflammatory response. Many compounds including bovine superoxide dismutase, non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, radical scavengers (e.g. acetaminophen), corticoids etc., have been shown to counteract this phenomenon. Their beneficial effects and mechanism of action are reviewed.