To treat oxidative disease of the central nervous system by using a specific nitrone compound having high pharmacological activities and low toxicity as pharmaceutical nitrone-free radical trapping agent.

2,4-Disulfonyl-α-phenyl-tert-butyl nitrone of the formula is used to treat the objective oxidative disease. The compound of the formula is obtained, for example, by converting tert-butyl nitrate (2-methyl-2-nitropropane) to a corresponding n-hydroxylamine by using an adequate catalyst, and reacting the obtained n-hydroxylamine either 4-formyl-1,3-benzenedisulfonic acid and an amine. Preferably, a pharmaceutical composition containing the compound as an active ingredient and capable of being parenterally (e.g. intravenously) or orally administered can be useful, for example, for treatment of a patient suffered from apoplexy, and in the case, an effective therapeutic amount of the pharmaceutical composition of at least about 0.2 mg/kg/h is parenterally administered to the patient.