Reducing agents for induction and maintenance therapy achieve long-term remission of refractory ulcerative colitis: A case report and review of literature

Figure 4 Antioxidant mechanism of R-dihydrolipoic acid: The principal role of R-dihydrolipoic acid is to function as a biological reducing agent that enhances the body’s intrinsic reductive (antioxidant) defenses. The thiol groups (SH, circled) are responsible for the electron donating (antioxidant) capacity of R-dihydrolipoic acid and the regeneration of other cellular antioxidants (as depicted) - including vitamin C, vitamin E, glutathione, and thioredoxin - following their utilization in neutralizing intracellular and intramitochondrial hydrogen peroxide. Alpha lipoic acid may be recycled back to R-dihydrolipoic acid but is eventually metabolized via mitochondrial beta-oxidation. RDLA: R-dihydrolipoic acid; Vit-C: Vitamin C; Vit-E: Vitamin E; GSH: Glutathione; ALA: Alpha lipoic acid.