Oxidative damage in the CNS is proposed to play a role in many acute and chronic neurodegenerative disorders. Accordingly, the nitrone spin trap alpha-phenyl-N-tert-butylnitrone (PBN), which reacts covalently with free radicals, has shown efficacy in a variety of animal models of CNS injury. We have synthesized a number of cyclic variants of PBN and examined their activity as radical traps and protectants against oxidative damage in CNS tissue. By using electron spin resonance spectroscopy, the cyclic nitrones MDL 101,002 and MDL 102,832 were shown to trap radicals in a manner similar to that of PBN. All cyclic nitrones tested prevented hydroxyl radical-dependent degradation of 2-deoxyribose and peroxyl radical-dependent oxidation of synaptosomes more potently than PBN. The radical scavenging properties of the cyclic nitrones contributed to a three- to 25-fold increase in potency relative to PBN against oxidative damage and cytotoxicity in cerebellar granule cell cultures. Similar to the phenolic antioxidant MDL 74,722, the nitrones minimized seizures and delayed the time to death in mice following central injection of ferrous iron. Although iron-induced lipid peroxidation was inhibited by MDL 74,722, the nitrones had no effect on this biochemical end point, indicating that iron-induced mortality does not result solely from lipid peroxidation and suggesting additional neuroprotective properties for the nitrones. These results indicate that cyclic nitrones are more potent radical traps and inhibitors of lipid peroxidation in vitro than PBN, and their ability to delay significantly iron-induced mortality in vivo suggests they may be useful in the treatment of acute and chronic neurodegeneration. Furthermore, the stability of the spin trap adducts of the cyclic nitrones provides a new tool for the study of oxidative tissue injury.