N-lipoic-amino acid or peptide, derivatives and their uses

A compound which comprises a derivative of N-Lipoic amino acid or a peptide having the following Formula (I):

• N-Lipoic-(X)n-Z-R1 Formula (I)
• or an isomer, a free acid, a base, a salt, a lactone, an amide, a hydroxylamide, a hydrazide, ester, or a nitrile thereof,
• wherein Lipoic is a lipoic (Lp) radical;
• (X)n is a peptide having n amino acid residues;
• each of the amino acid residue,
• X is independently selected from any amino acid;
• n is an integer from 0-2;
• Z is a carboxyl-terminal amino acid residue, each of the amino acid residue is independently selected from any amino acid;
• R1 is OR2, NHR3 or NHNHR4;
• R2 is H, an alkyl, aralkyl or aryl radical having up to 9 carbon atoms;
• and
• R3 or R4 is independently H, OH, an alkyl, aralkyl, aryl or acyl radical having up to 9 carbon atoms.