ABSTRACT

This chapter focuses on studies to produce chalcogen-containing structures which would delineate the apparent antioxidant and glutathione (GSH) peroxidase-mimetic properties and optimize their biological activities. This chapter describes the development of two classes of compounds based on diaryl selenides/tellurides and a-(phenylselenenyl) ketones. Within the biological setting, an antioxidant is a compound which will react with free-radical species before these react with other molecules. The evidence for such a catalytic antioxidant cycle in biological systems is compelling. The reduction of hydroperoxides by GSH represents one of the most important antioxidative mechanisms in biological systems. The search for xenobiotic molecules capable of catalyzing GSH peroxidase-like reactions was spurred by the discovery of the activity of the benzisoselenazolone ebselen. The redox-active compounds represent attempts to “captivate” the intrinsic chemical reactivities of selenium and tellurium and to direct these against the destruction of free radicals and peroxides generated in biological systems, particularly during lipid peroxidation.