Pirfenidone is a small molecule antifibrotic agent. In pulmonary fibrosis studies, Pirfenidone is shown to block collagen production and mitigate the presentation of bleomycin- and cyclophosphamide-induced fibrosis. This intervention appears in part on the transcriptional level, with Pirfenidone exposure correlating to a significant decrease in levels of procollagen I and III gene-assoicated messenger RNA. The antioxidant radical-scavenging activity additionally demonstrated by Pirfenidone suggests a role in protecting against lipid peroxidation, and may attribute to the antifibrotic property of the compound.