why not just stop free radicals?

[John R. Campbell]

On 13 Aug 1996 12:32:11 GMT, jmsdean at pipeline.com <jmsdean at pipeline.com> wrote:
>can someone please explain how free radicals are formed.  there's lots of
>talk about the body forming free radicals when the cells use oxygen but i'm
>not sure how this is done.  
> 
>secondly, what is the chemical structure of a free radical. 
> 
>lastly, why is stopping free radical production, as opposed to using
>scaverngers like anti-oxidants, not a current possibility.   

Remember now, I a *computer* tech-weenie, and I'm dredging back almost
25 years to the time I was in school, but, *IF* I recall aright, a
free radical is normally a "hydroxyl".  Normally, hydroxyls hang off
of things like alcohol, for instance, methanol:


		    H
		    |
		H - C - O - H
		    |
		    H

(or is it C - H - O ???  Can somebody correct this?)

So much for *my* understanding.  Weak, huh?

-- 
 John R. Campbell, Speaker to Machines                      soup at kd3bj.ampr.org
   Disclaimer:	I'm just a consultant at the bottom of the food chain, so,
		if you're thinking I speak for anyone but myself, you must
		have more lawyers than sense.