Free radicals in anaesthesia and intensive care

This review aims to outline the nature and origin of free radicals, or oxidants, in biological systems and to summarise their involvement in diseases of interest to anaesthetists, with particular reference to reperfusion injury (of the gut, brain, myocardium and transplanted organs), shock/trauma, inflammation/sepsis and halothane hepatitis. In-vitro and animal studies examining the role of free radicals and antioxidants in the pathophysiology and treatment of these conditions are presented. Some of the evidence from clinical studies supporting the use of antioxidant therapy in patients is also presented.