A method of treating ischemic reperfusion injury in a subject. The method may include administering to the subject an effective amount of a pharmaceutically acceptable formulation. The pharmaceutically acceptable formulation may include a synthetic analog or derivative of a carotenoid. The subject may be administered a carotenoid analog or derivative, either alone or in combination with another carotenoid analog or derivative, or co-antioxidant formulation. The carotenoid analog may include a conjugated polyene with between 7 to 14 double bonds. The conjugated polyene may include a cyclic ring including at least one substituent. In some embodiments, a cyclic ring of a carotenoid analog or derivative may include at least one substituent. The substituent may be coupled to the cyclic ring with an ester functionality.