Journal of Free Radicals in Biology & Medicine. Vol. I. pp. 331-334. 1985
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Printed in the USA. All rights reserved.
• Book Reviews
FREE RADICALS IN BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
BARRY HALIAWELL AND JOHN M . C. GUTrERIDGE
Oxford Science Publications, Clarendon Press, Oxford; 346 pages. Price: $35.00
Reviewed by Steven D. Aust, Ph.D.
MichiganState University,Departmentof Biochemistry,East Lansing,MI, U.S.A.
The author of this text on Free Radicals in Biology and
Medicine are certainly correct when they state in the Pre-
face that the interest in this field shown by biologists and
clinicians has been raised recently. There is a dire need
for a book for those who want to know "what free radicals
are, how they are generated, and how they react." This
book is aimed mainly at biologists and clinicians with
occasional comments to "charlatans" who would "make
money out of proposing that consuming radical scavan-
gers will make you live forever or that taking tablets
containing superoxide dismutase will enhance your health
and sex life."
The authors present, in the introductory chapter, some
chemical terms which the reader must understand before
proceeding, and they include an Appendix, entitled " A
consideration of Atomic Structure and Bonding," that
clearly explains atomic structure and bonding between
atoms. Subsequent chapters discuss the chemistry of ox-
ygen radicals and other oxygen-derived species, protec-
tion against oxygen radicals and the superoxide theory of
oxygen toxicity, and lipid peroxidation. Then there is a
chapter on the chloroplasts of higher plants and the mam-
malian eye because these "very different systems have a
lot in common." Finally, the authors include chapters on
free radicals and toxicology, free radicals as useful spe-
cies, and free radicals, aging and disease.
As a researcher in this field at a large university, I am
frequently called upon by students, clinicians and other
colleagues to help them understand the subject of free
radicals because they are interested in the field, or suspect
that their field of research may involve free radicals. And
until now there was no good introductory text on this
subject. This book can serve this role. It is an easy hook
to read with many anecdotes, editorial comments (perhaps
the Vikings may have introduced the SOD-2 gene on one
of their rampages!) and "examples of interesting biology
which tend to keep the reader's interest. The book is not
for those actively involved in research on the role of free
radicals in biology and medicine. For one reason, which
331
0748-5514/85 $3.00+ .
© 1986 Pergamon Press Ltd.
is particularly annoying, statements in the text are rarely
referenced, although some data in tables and figures do
contain references and there are references for further
reading at the end of the chapter.
The absence of references is troublesome for someone
working in this field for there are many conflicting results
or controversies in this field, most of which are probably
the result of the use of slightly different experimental
conditions. Thus, it is important that the researchers have
access to the original papers in order to assess the meth-
odology. Also, it appears to this reviewer that it is quite
easy to invoke free radicals in almost any toxicity, dis-
ease, cancer, aging or otherwise unexplained malady,
perhaps because it is a passing bandwagon or because it
is particularly difficult to prove or disprove. This text
may contribute to this perception. Probably because of
the attention this field is getting it is quite easy to get the
impression that most cells of most tissues are packed with
oxygen radical generating systems as well as antioxidants
and enzymes which protect against oxygen mediated dam-
age. It is therefore important for readers to read certain
sections of this book very carefully in order to put every-
thing in perspective. At times it would appear that the
authors are indeed trying to address this misconception.
For example, there is a section (page 63) on the generation
of hydrogen peroxide in biological systems with a note
that Professor Britton Chance's group noted that the iso-
lated perfused rat liver produced only 82 nmol of hydro-
gen peroxide minute per gram. However, there are other
statements that might contribute to the problem, such as
"several biologically important molecules also oxidize in
the presence of oxygen to yield 02 ~ ;" (page 109) or
"isolated microsomal fractions from various tissues have
been shown to produce hydrogen peroxide rapidly in vitro
in the presence of NADPH" (page 116), tend to give
what this reviewer would regard as a misconception.
However, the authors do point out on page 63 that "much
less of this hydrogen peroxide arose from the endoplasmic
reticulum than would be expected from the rate at which
332 JOURNAL OF FREE RADICALSIN BIOLOGY& MEDICINE• VOLUME 1. NUMBER 4. 1985

microsomes produce hydrogen peroxide in vitro:" and
(page 110) "Oxidation of molecules such as adrenalin
and thiol compounds (cysteine, GSH) in vitro is greatly
accelerated by the presence of transition metals such as
iron and copper." Or (page 117) "In perfused rat liver,
however, the basal rate of GSSG release as an index of
H202-production (Section 3.1.1) is much smaller than
expected from the rates observed with microsomes in
vitro, and it does not increase on pretreatment of the
animals with phenobarbital." These are important state-
ments. It is important that the reader carefully consider
all statements in this book, where they emphasize reason
and where they don't.
But in general, this book will serve as an excellent
introduction to the field, especially for the biologist. This
is an important subject and there is a need-to at least
examine the possibility that radicals may be involved in
various diseases, toxicities or other processes. Also, free
radicals are an important subject with respect to nutrition.
The subject therefore crosses many disciplines so there
is a real need for an introductory text, and this one is
excellent.

CARCINOGENESIS: A COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY. VOLUME 10,

THE ROLE OF CHEMICAI~ AND RADIATION IN THEETIOLOGY
OF CANCER

ELIEZER HUBERMAN AND SUSAN H. BARR

Raven Press, New York; 560 pages. Price: $69.00
Reviewedby Alex Sevanian, Ph.D.
Institute for Toxicology,The Universityof SouthernCalifornia. Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A.

It was a pleasant opportunity to review the tenth volume
of Carcinogenesis. This volume was dedicated to the late
Charles Heidelberger and I was personally gratified to
find a major theme of this issue devoted to chemical
carcinogenesis and its relationship to genetic regulatory
processes. The presentation of evidence for a structural
homology between oncogene products and regulatory
molecules, and for the reversibility malignant neoplasms
(by means of bypassing the genetic changes required for
cell growth under the influence of growth factors pro-
duced by the malignant phenotype) emerges as a tribute
to the visions of Dr. Heidelberger. His ideal for a cure
for cancer, which he shared privately with a number of
his colleagues, involved the forcing of cancer cells to
revert to a normal somatic phenotype.
As the title indicates, the book presents a broad survey
of our current knowledge of processes associated with
carcinogenesis. One subject which would be of interest
to researchers involved in free radical biology, addresses
mechanisms of chromosomal damage or abberrations and
the circumstances by which damage via gene transloca-
tions leads to the expression of otherwise dormant on-
cogenes. Interesting hypotheses for chemical carcinogen
induced transposition of genetic information and the evi-
dence for such processes are presented in a number of
chapters written by recognized authorities. Examples are
provided such as the expression of a gene for reverse
transcription whose DNA product is reinserted in the re-
gion of an oncogene resulting in its activation.
A survey of recent advances in the identification and
possible origins of oncogenes is presented. Along with
this review is included a concise and useful description
of oncogene products which have been characterized and
compared to normal regulatory proteins. Attention is also
given to regulatory factors required for cell growth and
differentiation, and to differences in their formation or
of the response of cells to these factors, during various
stages of transformation. A detailed presentation of the
stages of cell transformation and their specific charac-
teristics is provided in several chapters. In this vein a
discussion of genetic and epigenetic interactions is pre-
sented in terms of membrane associated factors, such as
receptors and receptor derived products. The evidence for
a relationship between phorbol esters and endogenous
promoters, as well as their receptors is particularly rel-
evant.
Discussion of the role of free radicals in genetic dam-
age, mutagenesis or oncogenic transformation is notice-
ably lacking, hut investigators with interests in free rad-
icals will find the information in this series very useful
in formulating hypotheses concerned with this growing
area of research.
A number of chapters are devoted to systems by which
chemical carcinogens are screened, ranging from analysis