Free radicals and disease: the toxaemia hypothesis

Abstract: Most of the major systems of complementary medicine, including medical herbalism, naturopathy, and osteopathy, have, as a principle objective, the restoration and Promotion of eliminative functions and the attainment of acid-base equilibrium (the flow equilibrium). The toxaemia theories which Attribute many illnesses and pathological changes to the accumulation within the body of metabolic wastes and harmful environmental compounds were widely accepted by the pioneers of these disciplines for close on a century but never General favoured in other medical circles. This paper compares the views of some of the foremost proponents of the toxaemia theories with modern knowledge of the role of oxidative compounds (free radicals) in the aetiology of disease and suggests that advances in understanding of free radical biochemistry may lend more credibility to toxaemia as a significant factor in functional medicine.

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