Antioxidants for CNS ischaemia and trauma

CNS ischaemia and trauma are leading causes of death or severe disabilities worldwide. However, so far, few treatment options are available and current treatment modalities exert only moderate beneficial effects on the outcome of patients. A possible target for the invention of new treatment options is the tissue damage mediated by oxidative stress through reactive oxygen species (ROS) or reactive nitrogen species (RNS). This review outlines the processes leading to the formation of oxidative stress and discusses recent patent applications for antioxidative compounds.