Nitroxides as protectors against oxidatives stress

A method for treating or preventing damage to normal cells, tissues, or organs in a mammal that has been exposed to ionizing radiation, comprising administering to said mammal, after exposure to ionizing radiation, a composition comprising an anti-radiation damage effective amount of a compound selected from the group consisting of:

• (i) a metal-independent nitroxide of formula R3—N(R4)(R5),
• wherein R3 is —O., —OH, or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof having antioxidant activity,
• and R4 and R5, together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bonded, form a 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic group, which, in addition to said nitrogen atom, comprises one or more heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur, or R4 and R5, separately, each comprise a substituted or unsubstituted 5- or 6-membered cyclic group or a substituted or unsubstituted 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic group, which comprises one or more heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur,
• (ii) an oxazolidine compound, which is capable of forming an oxazolidine-1-oxyl, wherein said oxazolidine compound is of formula:
• wherein R1 is —CH3 and R2 is —C2H5, —C3H7, —C4H9, —C5H11, —C6H13, —CH2CH(CH3)2, —CHCH3C2H5, or —(CH2)7CH3, and R3 is —O., —OH, or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof having antioxidant activity, or
• wherein R1 and R2, together, form spirocyclopentane, spirocyclohexane, spirocycloheptane, spirocyclooctane, 5-cholestane or norbornane.