The invention provides a method for reducing oxidative damage in a mammal, aremoved organ, or a cell in need thereof. The method comprises administeringan effective amount of an aromatic cationic peptide. The aromatic cationicpeptide has (a) at least one net positive charge； (b) a minimum of three aminoacids； (c) a maximum of about twenty amino acids； (d) a relationship betweenthe minimum number of net positive charges (pm) and the total number of aminoacid residues (r) wherein 3pm is the largest number that is less than or equalto r+1； (e) a relationship between the minimum number of aromatic groups (a)and the total number of net positive charges (pt) wherein 3a or 2a is thelargest number that is less than or equal to pt+1, except that when a is 1, ptmay also be 1； and (f) at least one tyrosine or tryptophan amino acid.
