In vitro effects of nitrofurantoin, an antimicrobial agent for acute and chronic urinary tract infection, on the lung microsomal lipid peroxidation and the generation of reactive oxygen radicals were investigated to elucidate the biochemical mechanisms of its in vivopulmonary toxicity. The interaction of nitrofurantoin with porcine lung microsome resulted in significant lipid peroxidation. In addition, nitrofurantoin stimulated the generation of reactive oxygen radicals, O₂^-⋅, H₂O₂ as well as a highly reactive secondary oxygen species, OH⋅. The stimulation of lipid peroxidation was inhibited not only by superoxide dismutase and catalase, but also by hydroxyl radical scavengers, mannitol and thiourea. Neither singlet oxygen (¹O₂) was detected during the incubation of microsome with nitrofurantoin, nor lipid peroxidation was inhibited by singlet oxygen scavengers. When incubated anaerobically under the nitrogen atmosphere, the ability of nitrofurantoin to stimulatle lipid peroxidation was abolished. It appears that NADPH-dependent metaboliam of nitrofurantoin in pulmonary microsome under aerobic condition is accompanied by the stimulation of lipid peroxidation through the mediation of reactive oxygen radicals, particularly hydroxyl radical. It is strongly suggested from these results that the stimulation of pulmonary microsomal lipid peroxidation by the reactive oxygen radical may be a in vivo mechanism of pulmonary toxicity caused by nitrofurantoin.