A nonpeptidyl mimic of superoxide dismutase with therapeutic activity in rats

Many human diseases are associated with the overproduction of oxygen free radicals that inflict cell damage. A manganese(II) complex with a bis(cyclohexylpyridine)-substituted macrocyclic ligand (M40403) was designed to be a functional mimic of the superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes that normally remove these radicals. M40403 had high catalytic SOD activity and was chemically and biologically stable in vivo. Injection of M40403 into rat models of inflammation and ischemia-reperfusion injury protected the animals against tissue damage. Such mimics may result in better clinical therapies for diseases mediated by superoxide radicals.