An antioxidant compound is disclosed, along with pharmaceutical compositions and methods of treatment which utilize said compound. The compound is characterized by a peptide including at least three amino acid residues of which at least two are cysteine residues, and a first hydrophobic or non-charged moiety being attached to an amino terminal of the peptide via a first bond and a second hydrophobic or non-charged moiety being attached to a carboxy terminal of the peptide via a second bond, as described herein. Cleavage of the peptide by an intracellular peptidase results in generation of a plurality of antioxidant species, each including one of the cysteine residues, thereby providing for a plurality of different antioxidant species acting in synergy in exerting antioxidation.
