Superoxide Dismutase: Pharmacological Developments and Applications

Abstract

The concept of oxidant-antioxidant balance seems to be emerging in the free radical field. The remarkable ubiquity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) among aerobic organisms is accompanied by an equally remarkable constancy of activity. A number of lines of evidence suggest that the steady state free radical concentration in a healthy cell must be very low, but not zero. This chapter briefly reviews and updates the essentials of superoxide and the superoxide dismutases, placing most of the emphasis on the more recent developments. It is clear that after two decades of intensive investigation into the biological roles of superoxide and the superoxide dismutases, we are far from a complete understanding. SOD has proven to be an invaluable tool in these investigations, and the tool is being honed to provide greater discrimination by delineation and alteration of its pharmacokinetic proper ties. This knowledge may also contribute to the eventual success of SOD as a human therapeutic agent.