Mechanisms for the generation of oxygen radicals by drugs.

Abstract

In this report I will give a brief overview of drug-dependent metabolic reactions that can generate reactive oxygen species in tissues. The term drug is used here in its widest sense and includes any physiologically useless compound, either synthetic or naturally occurring, that can transfer one or two electrons to dioxygen via enzyme-catalyzed reactions. At the molecular level it is an enzyme that recognizes a specific structure and sustains the reaction. Therefore, a discussion of biochemical mechanisms is primarily concerned with the nature of the reaction and the identity of enzymes that catalyze reactions. The following review follows this general plan and focuses on enzymes that catalyze oxidation or reduction of functional groups in xenobiotics that often lead to the generation of oxygen radicals.KeywordsXanthine OxidaseMonoamine OxidaseNicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide PhosphateAldehyde OxidaseAromatic Nitro CompoundThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.