Multifunctional cytoprotectant for treatment of pathogenic processes mediated by oxidative stress and toxic electrophiles

A method of treating a toxicity due to a therapeutic agent or an agent that causes oxidative cellular damage in a subject receiving the agent, the method comprising administering to the subject a compound of formula (I)

• or a tautomer thereof;
• or a geometric or optical isomer thereof;
• or racemate thereof;
• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, in an amount effective to reduce the toxicity due to the agent,
• wherein:
• R1 and R3 are independently alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, aralkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroaralkyl or heterocycloalkyl;
• R2 is NH2, NHCOR3, NH-alkyl, N,N-dialkyl, cyclic N,N-di alkyl, SH, S-alkyl, S-aryl, aryl, heteroaryl, or NR4R5;
• and
• R4 and R5 are independently alkyl or NH-alkyl, or R4 and R5 can form a ring with each other, and any ring so formed is heteroaromatic, and any ring so formed may contain one or more N, O and/or S atoms;
• wherein any aryl, aralkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroaralkyl, or heterocycloalkyl ring can be independently substituted with ═O, OH, halogen, CH3 or NH2;
• and
• wherein any alkyl can independently be branched or unbranched.