[Participation of free radicals in the mechanism of brain tissue damage].

There is now extensive experimental support for the early occurrence and pathophysiological importance of oxygen radical formation and cell membrane lipid peroxidation in the injured brain tissue. Several criteria for the establishment of the pathophysiological significance of oxygen radicals processes have been met. These include: 1. demonstration of increased posttraumatic levels of oxygen radicals and lipid peroxides soon after CNS injury, 2. the spatial and temporal correlation between oxygen radical formation and pathophysiological alterations (e.g. vasogenic oedema, progressive posttraumatic ischemia development, loss of microvascular autoregulation), 3. the striking similarity between posttraumatic CNS pathology and that caused by chemical peroxidative insult, and 4. the protective efficacy of oxygen radical scavenging agents or compounds that inhibit lipid peroxidation.