Nitrones have the general chemical formula X-CH=NO-Y. They were first used to trap
free radicals in chemical systems and then subsequently in biochemical systems. More recently several
nitrones, including
alpha-phenyl-tert-butylnitrone (PBN), have been shown to have potent
biological activity in many experimental animal models. Many diseases of aging, including
stroke,
cancer development,
Parkinson disease, and
Alzheimer disease, are known to have enhanced levels of
free radicals and oxidative stress. Some derivatives of PBN are significantly more potent than PBN and have undergone extensive commercial development for
stroke. Recent research has shown that PBN-related
nitrones also have anti-
cancer activity in several experimental
cancer models and have potential as
therapeutics in some
cancers. Also, in recent observations
nitrones have been shown to act synergistically in combination with
antioxidants in the prevention of acute acoustic-
noise-induced hearing loss. The mechanistic basis of the potent
biological activity of PBN-related
nitrones is not known. Even though PBN-related
nitrones do decrease oxidative stress and oxidative damage, their potent
biological anti-inflammatory activity and their ability to alter cellular signaling processes cannot readily be explained by conventional notions of
free radical trapping biochemistry. This review is focused on our studies and others in which the use of selected
nitrones as novel
therapeutics has been evaluated in experimental models in the context of
free radical biochemical and cellular processes considered important in pathologic conditions and age-related diseases.