Brigham K L
Chest. 1986 Jun;89(6):859-63. doi: 10.1378/chest.89.6.859.
Free radicals (and other toxic metabolites of oxygen) are generated in most cells as a consequence of normal metabolic processes, but cells are protected from injury by antioxidant mechanisms. Several forms of lung injury appear to result from generation of toxic metabolites of oxygen in quantities which exceed the antioxidant capacity of lung cells. Several manipulations which prevent free radical production or accumulation or enhance antioxidant capacity of lung tissue may prove to be useful therapeutically in acute and chronic diseases of the lungs.
在大多数细胞中，自由基（以及其他氧的毒性代谢产物）作为正常代谢过程的结果而产生，但细胞通过抗氧化机制免受损伤。几种形式的肺损伤似乎是由于氧的毒性代谢产物生成量超过了肺细胞的抗氧化能力所致。一些能够防止自由基产生或积累或增强肺组织抗氧化能力的操作，可能在肺部急慢性疾病的治疗中被证明是有用的。
