Pulmonary diseases are common clinical entities encountered by physicians and represent a
major issue of public health worldwide. Understanding of the detailed pathophysiological mechanisms
of pulmonary disorders is of critical importance for developing more effective therapeutic approaches to
combating these diseases. This chapter discusses experimental and clinical studies showing oxidative
stress as a crucial pathophysiological factor in diverse pulmonary diseases. These include chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, cystic fibrosis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, pulmonary
ischemia-reperfusion injury, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and drug/xenobiotic-induced pulmonary
toxicity. The development of antioxidant-based modalities for the intervention of these pulmonary
diseases is also covered in this chapter.
Keywords: Acute respiratory distress syndrome, Antioxidant intervention, Asthma, Chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease, Cystic fibrosis, Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, Oxidative stress, Pulmonary diseases,
Pulmonary ischemia-reperfusion injury, Pulmonary toxicity, Reactive nitrogen species, Reactive oxygen
species.