Certain known and novel pyruvate derivatives are particularly active in restoring
or preserving metabolic integrity in oxidatively competent cells that have been
subjected to oxygen deprivation. These pyruvate-derived compounds include, but
are not limited to oximes, amides, pyruvate analogues, modified pyruvate analogues,
esters of pyruvate (e.g., polyol-pyruvate esters, pyruvate thioesters, glycerol-pyruvate
esters and dihydroxyacetone-pyruvate esters). Such pyruvate derivatives (including
single tautomers, single stereoisomers and mixtures of tautomers and/or stereoisomers,
and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof) are useful in the manufacture
of pharmaceutical compositions for treating a number of conditions characterized
by oxidative stress.
